A PLEASURE boat operator hanged himself over a pit in his garage, an inquest heard.

On Saturday, David Darby spent the morning with his brother at his Stourport home, but when Philip returned after having a shower, he was unable to find his brother.

He went to the garage, which was locked and continued his search.

After a while, he returned to the building, in Lickhill Road North, looked through a hole in the door and saw his brother, suspended from the roof, over a mechanical working pit.

He forced his way into the garage, cut the rope and called the police and paramedics but his brother was pronounced dead at the scene.

At an inquest, in Stourport, on Tuesday, county coroner, Victor Round established that Mr Darby, whose father was in hospital, had a brief history of depression and anxiety but had no business worries and had not talked about suicide.

Mr Round recorded that the single 52-year-old, who took his own life, died of ligature suspension.