AN 18-year-old Worcester man hanged himself in the back garden of his aunt and uncle's house, an inquest heard.

Wayne Lewis, a builder, had been out to the pub with his family, saw a friend, and was described as "happy" the day before his body was discovered.

Mr Lewis, who was single, was staying with his aunt and uncle, Pauline and Mark Dixon, in Grasmere Drive, Brickfields, Worcester, for work-related purposes.

Coroner for the county Victor Round said nobody had any concerns about Mr Lewis' health and welfare.

"Friends described him as always joking and playing the fool," he said, and added that Mr Lewis was looking for a new job on the internet and was even thinking about a holiday to Spain later in the year.

"On Thursday, March 1, he went out to the local pub with his family and he was in good spirits," said Mr Round.

"He returned home and then went out again at about 6.30pm to a friend's who lived around the corner."

In a police report Mr Lewis was described by his friend Scott Green as being happy that night, and the pair had drunk about eight cans of lager together. "Wayne had four or five but he (Mr Green) didn't think he was drunk," said Mr Round.

"He left the house at 11.30pm in good spirits.

"That was the last time anybody saw him."

Mr Round said Mrs Dixon had left for work earlier that night about 8.30pm, while Mr Dixon had gone to bed about 10.30pm.

"It does appear Wayne had returned and perhaps carried on drinking at home because his uncle said some beer cans were left downstairs," said Mr Round.

"Pauline comes back at 5.30am, sees Wayne, raises the alarm and finds a hand-written note on the coffee table in the living room.

"Wayne's lips were blue so I'm quite sure he had been dead for a while and there was no chance of saving him."

Mr Round said Mr Lewis took his own life and that the amount of alcohol he consumed was a contributory factor to his death.