A 35-year-old man who believed he was possessed by the soul of Elvis Presley was found hanging from a tree in woods near his home, an inquest heard.

Paul Box, of King George Road, Chatham, died on May 12, by hanging himself from a scarf in the woods off Campion Close behind the Bridgewood Manor Hotel.

Mr Box, who was unemployed and single, was discovered by a woman walking her dog.

Just hours before he was found he had seen his probation officer Adam Crocker following an appearance at Medway magistrates' court.

Mr Crocker told the Gillingham inquest on Wednesday that he had been seen by a psychiatrist for mental health problems but on that morning he was calm and showing no signs of stress or anxiety.

Mr Crocker added: “He believed he was possessed by the soul of Elvis Presley and that his aura descended on him in the evenings and that he experienced him through singing and dancing.

“He had approached the Press in the past but nobody was interested. He also spent part of his time living rough.”

Coroner Roger Sykes, recording a verdict of suicide, heard that Mr Box would have needed to clamber up a tree in order to tie the scarf to hang himself. A post mortem examination revealed he had low levels of alcohol, cannabis and amphetamine but not enough to significantly affect his thoughts.

Mr Sykes said: “His manner was calm and composed on the day but in the past I have been told his chosen method of dying would be hanging. He took his own life while suffering an undiagnosed form of mental illness. He was a man who had real problems in dealing with normal life.”