A LABOURER sent his girlfriend a text message saying "I'd rather die than be without you" hours before he killed himself, an inquest heard.

Bernard Conrad Dwayne Howard, 26, of Woodvale Flats, Darwen, was found dead at his home by girlfriend Kelly Marie Bayfield on September 14.

The Blackburn court heard how he had taken almost 10 times the amount of morphine that would have been required to kill him. His girlfriend said she had finished work early and caught the bus to his house after she became concerned about him when he failed to answer her telephone calls.

Kelly, who lives in Bolton, said: "I had been in a relationship with him for about eight months.

"We'd had a falling out on the Monday but had made up. He had been sending me text messages, the last one said I would rather die than be without you'.

"I started panicking. I went up to his house. I found him on the floor when I went into his house and I rang for the emergency services.

"He had never indicated before that he might harm himself. It was such a shock."

Neighbour Daniel John Pearson said: "He came round on the 13th and said he was going to Bolton to speak to Kelly. "He returned two or three hours later. He came round later on that day to ask for the tool kit I had borrowed.

"The next day I knocked on his door to see if he was coming for a brew like he usually did, but he didn't answer.

"Kelly came round and asked me to show her what key it was to get into the main door.

"As I was going back she screamed and I saw him dead. He was sat up against the washing machine. "I then went outside to wait for the police. He never said anything to make me think he would harm himself."

Pathologist Mohammed Aslam said 3,800 micrograms of morphine was found in his system. More than 400 microgram is usually fatal.

Deputy Coroner Carolyn Singleton recorded a verdict that he killed himself.