A HAMPSHIRE father was found hanging at his home, an inquest heard.

Clive Thornton from North Baddesley had a history of depression and anxiety, as well as substance abuse and self-harm, Winchester Coroner's Court heard.

The 40-year-old, who was a father of one, was discovered at Rownhams Road on November 15 last year.

He had also shown traits of emotionally unstable personality disorder.

Mr Thornton's partner of seven years, Marie De La Motte, said: "He was very funny, he enjoyed travelling, enjoyed being thoughtful and he was a very caring and loving person."

"He always had difficulty in coping with winter. I knew that when he lost his grandad it was a difficult moment for him but he never spoke about it at that time.

"In 2015 when he changed roles at work that started to have an impact. He was under more stress. He just slept all day. He was missing work."

Speaking about his substance abuse, she said: "He was trying to numb himself from the pain in his brain - it was a coping mechanism."

She added that he also had debts he was worried about.

Reshad Bukory, Clive's care-co-ordinator from Romsey Community Mental Health Team, said: "I think he was using various substances as coping strategies but they made it worse."

When asked by central Hampshire coroner Grahame Short whether he should have been taken into hospital, Mr Bukory said: "Someone like that needs to develop those coping skills.

"If you put them into hospital you are taking them away from the environment where they can learn those skills.

"That is the balance you have to make.

"If someone needs a bed they will get a bed, but we took a decision that Clive showed enough willingness to engage in the programme."

Mr Short said he thought Mr Thornton's mental health had been deteriorating over the year.

"It is easy to underestimate the difficulty of professionals dealing with mental illness," he said.

"The hard part is trying to understand why at that particular time and why he came to this conclusion and why he did not ask for help.

"I believe that he had feelings of worthlessness, a lack of a future."

He recorded a conclusion of suicide.