GIFTED children's surgeon hurled himself into the path of a lorry on the M60, an inquest heard.

Dr Karaikudi Shankar hid behind his car on the motorway at Whitefield before launching himself in front of a passing HGV.

The 38-year-old consultant urologist at the Pendlebury Children's Hospital was killed instantly.

The hearing in Bury was told how the HGV driver Mr Arthur Gilbert, from Ormskirk, would not have been able to avoid hitting Dr Shankar.

Mr Gilbert was driving along the M60 during the early hours of November 11, and was approaching Junction 17 at Whitefield, when he spotted a car on the hard-shoulder with its hazard lights on and its bonnet up.

As he drew level with the white Fiat Punto, Dr Shankar jumped out, with his hands held forward, directly into the lorry's path.

Motorway police later recovered a bloodstained carving knife from the car which Dr Shankar had used to cut his left wrist moments before his death.

Also in the vehicle was a message to his wife and child which had been written on a bus timetable.

Coroner Mr Simon Nelson heard on Tuesday (May 11) how Dr Shankar's colleagues were unaware of any major concerns or symptoms of depression but his wife, Nitu, said they had experienced a stressful 12 months.

In a statement, Mrs Shankar, who has since returned to Pakistan, said complications during her pregnancy resulted in Mayur being born by an emergency Caesarean operation and a month later the toddler required surgery for an intestinal problem.

She added her husband had completed exams, in which he gained the highest marks in the UK, and she was suffering from depression.

Mrs Shankar said: "He would sometimes discuss problems and sometimes bottle them up. He would often keep problems to himself because he didn't want to upset me because of my depression."

The day before his death, Dr Shankar was suffering from flu and was persuaded by his wife to phone in sick at work. They also had exchanged harsh words and his behaviour was out of character.

Dr Shankar, from Eccles, was reported missing on the afternoon before his death.

Mr Nelson said the doctor's death was a great loss not only to his friends and family but also to the patients he had helped over the years.

He concluded: "There is no evidence from his colleagues or his own GP to suggest a depressive illness.

"However, this was a traumatic death following a deliberate act of self harm while the balance of his mind was disturbed".