A POSTMAN with money worries - who was about to be evicted from his home in Pendle - was found dead at a beauty spot in Earby.

Burnley Coroner's Court was told that Ian Christopher Symonds, 48, had never really adjusted to life after his family grew up and he split from his wife Deborah.

The body of Mr Symonds, of Birtwistle Court, Barnoldswick, was found in a fume-filled car at a picnic site in Earby on June 8 last year, the inquest heard.

The windows had been packed with cloth and a hosepipe was running from the exhaust pipe to the car's interior, the court was told.

Mr Symonds had encountered financial difficulties and was two weeks behind with his rent, the coroner was told. He had also been threatened with eviction, the inquest heard.

His former father-in-law James Harris said that he was in regular contact with Mr Symonds, who he described as a "quiet character" and he had never given any indications of financial difficulties.

But Mr Harris said Mr Symonds had informed his son that his home was going to be seized the following day due to rent arrears.

Mr Harris told the inquest: "He was not able to work things out.

"Throughout his life he never had to manage his own finances. His parents did it for him when he was younger and his wife did it during the time they were married.

"She went on to live in Spain, and now France, and he was not able to cope on his own."

Mr Harris told the inquest that Mr Symonds was a "very good father".

He said: "He would have a beer but never a second one.

"He didn't smoke and he was always very hard-working.

"But his family grew up and made their own way in the world and there is one factor, over anything in all this. It is that he suddenly found himself on his own."

The inquest heard that Mr Symonds picked up his son from Manchester Airport, who had returned from France, the day before his death His son went out to see friends but when he returned to his father's home later he realised that his car was missing. The body of Mr Symonds was later found at the Earby picnic site.

Recording a suicide verdict, East Lancashire coroner Richard Taylor said that his rent problems had "preyed on his mind".