A GENTLE giant who became depressed following a split with his girlfriend was found hanging from the banister of his Worcester home.

An inquest held yesterday heard how 31-year-old Paul Foord, of Newtown Road, had threatened to kill himself on the day his body was found.

In six desperate telephone calls to his ex-girlfriend Louise Lench, with whom he had a "love, hate relationship", Mr Foord told her he was "finding a blade to do his wrists" and then "tying two belts together".

The inquest heard the police were alerted and when they called at the motor mechanic's home on Monday, April 30 and found Mr Foord's body hanging from two belts.

"I was at work when Paul phoned me on my mobile," said 22-year-old Miss Lench. "I remember him saying he was very unhappy with me and I tried to calm him down."

Under cross-examination from Simon Worlock, the family's barrister, she said she "loved him to bits and wanted him to be OK" and admitted she had suffered a miscarriage just after the split.

"I told him if he had counselling to help his mood swings I would go back to him," she revealed.

Mr Foord's mother, Carol Bowers, said she had spent two-and-a-half hours with him that day and he was planning for the future and "positive".

"I had lunch with him and we chatted about his cats and the garden and he told me he was off to see his father later that evening - never in my worst dreams did I think this would happen."

Work colleague Nathan Strefford, who was with the police when they found the body, said Mr Foord had been threatened in the weeks leading up to his death.

"He showed me bruising on his lower back where he had been knocked down but he never spoke to me about it. I also know he slept with a baseball bat as someone had tried to break in.

"I think someone was wishing him harm as there was progressively worse behaviour towards him."

Deputy coroner Tim Sherwood recorded an open verdict.

"What is troubling me about this case is that many witnesses described Paul's state of mind as positive before he died," he said.

"I'm not sure Paul did intend to hang himself so I think the proper verdict should be open."