A 31-YEAR-OLD Nelson man hanged himself in his ex-girlfriend's house when she told him they should just be friends, an inquest heard.

Geoffrey Edmonson, of Reedyford Road, Nelson, used a two and a half foot extension lead to hang himself in an upstairs bedroom while his ex-girlfriend, Natalie Quirke, then of Chapelhouse Road, Nelson, went out to get £40 which she owed him.

Pathologist Dr Abdul Al-Dawoud said there were very small amounts of sedative, tranquillisers and heroin in Mr Edmonson's blood but said the cause of death was due to hanging. Mr Edmonson had argued with Miss Quirke the night before his death when he told her he could not handle just being friends.

He had slit his wrists when Miss Quirke tried to end their relationship on a separate occasion while he was in jail.

Mr Edmonson visited Miss Quirke's house twice on Tuesday, September 28 to ask for the return of some money which she owed him.

When she went out to get the money Mr Edmonson went inside the house and Abigail Ingham, who was also living in the house, let him use the toilet.

Miss Ingham said: "About 10 to 15 minutes later Natalie returned and pipped her horn. I thought he was back with her." "Natalie's baby-sitter, Tanya, came to the front door and I asked her to go and look upstairs to see if he was still up there.

"She came down hysterical and holding her neck. I went upstairs and Geoffrey was slouched on the floor just off his knees in front of the window, inside the bedroom.

"There was an extension lead around his neck and he had wedged the plug outside the window." Both Miss Ingham and Miss Quirke tried to lift Mr Edmonson down and Miss Quirke finally cut him free with a kitchen knife.

East Lancashire coroner David Smith recorded a verdict of accidental death but added that he didn't think Mr Edmonson had wanted to kill himself.

He said: "I think it was with a view of not so much ending his life but to draw attention to himself. He knew Natalie wasn't going to be away very long and I suspect he was hoping she would be back in plenty of time but quite clearly it was too late."

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