A HAMPSHIRE man hung himself after struggling to cope with financial pressures and depression, an inquest heard.

Andrew Baxter who was described as "happy go lucky" before he lost his job due to a bad back, was found hanging at his flat in Southampton on October 14.

Winchester Coroner's Court heard the 42-year-old from Burgoyne Road in Thornhill owed thousands of pounds and had his benefits cut after a mix-up, leading to a loss of income.

Mr Baxter also suffered from depression for a number of years, and had chronic back pain and was told he was HIV positive in 2014.

The inquest heard a statement from Mr Baxter's neighbour Pauline Leyton, who had developed a close friendship with him.

She told the hearing how he lost his job working in the kitchen at a hotel in 2014 due to his bad back and got a redundancy pay out.

Ms Leyton said after the pay out he suddenly had more friends around him and was regularly going out and taking drugs.

However the money dried up and Mr Baxter's relationship with his boyfriend Russell Cade broke down which led to him becoming depressed.

Ms Leyton said "Before this happened I would see him most days, but after this he would pop in once and again and he would sit on the sofa crying, when I wanted to see him he would not let me in and shut himself out to the world."

She added that his benefits were then cut due to a "mix up" over an appointment and he became more anxious about debts.

The court heard, Mr Baxter started living with a flatmate, who was previously homeless and would regularly argue with him as Mr Baxter claimed he owed him money.

Mr Baxter's neighbour Stuart Chalk had seen him the day before he died, and said he was "annoyed" at the flatmate about money issues.

The next day the flatmate who was locked out, asked for Mr Chalk's help and feared he may have harmed himself, and sadly discovered Mr Baxter dead in the living room.

Pathologist Norman Carr said the cause of death was hanging and that Mr Chalk had taken a number of medical drugs and had drunk 1.8 times the drink drive limit.

Senior coroner Grahame Short recorded a verdict of suicide.

Mr Short said: "His health was a factor, his financial situation was a factor and his living arrangements were.

"All of these stresses on him led to him reaching this decision. It has to be seen in the context of someone who had underlying depression most of their life."