A paranoid schizophrenic who believed he was an army field marshal killed himself on Remembrance Sunday.

Nicholas Steel drowned after jumping into the River Severn from the New Road bridge in Worcester city centre on Sunday, November 12.

At an inquest in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire coroner Victor Round said the 53-year-old voluntary patient at Newtown Hospital in Worcester, left a note with the word suicide and his signature written on it on his bedside table at the Clifton hospital ward, but had placed it face down so staff had not noticed it.

"It was only when they were sorting out his things that they found it," he said.

"There had been no advance warning that he was likely to end his life, but it was known that he was concerned about a move where he was going to other accommodation.

"He thought at one stage that he was a field marshal - military beliefs was part of his problem.

"He wasn't a dangerous, out of control person."

He said the former furniture company clerk, who was an inpatient at the hospital, was allowed out for half-hour trips alone, but staff had not noticed he failed to return.

"They reported him missing after the police found him," he added.

Mr Round said Mr Steel was seen jumping into the river at about 12.30pm, and attempts were made to resuscitate him after firefighters retrieved him from the water.

He was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital but was pronounced dead later that day.

Mr Round said there would be an inquiry into why hospital staff did not notice he had not returned.

He recorded Mr Steel, who had family near Tewkesbury, took his own life.