A DEPRESSED man committed suicide after a number of failed attempts, an inquest heard.

And David Ingham, 53, of Heron Court, Burnley, who was discovered hanging from a noose in his home, had even joked with a neighbour about his failed attempts.

The inquest at Burnley Magistrates' Court heard how he had taken some pills prior to his death.

Coroner Richard Taylor told the court that the cause of death was hanging and recorded a verdict of suicide.

Mr Ingham's devastated wife Mary Ingham said her husband was a heavy drinker and she had tried to get him to see a doctor in the past.

She said she had prevented him from taking his own life the Wednesday before he died.

She said: "He used to get up and demand that I take him to the shop. This particular night I took him to the Kitchens garage for cigars and more cans of beer.

"I went back to bed but he seemed to be making a lot of noise, more noise than he normally did.

"He had made a noose at the bottom of the stairs and there was a chair.

"He said he was hanging himself. I took the noose down and I said don't be stupid we need to talk '.

"He pushed me away from him and told me to go back to bed and leave him alone.

"There was a scuffle because he pushed me away and I tried to make him see sense but he packed my suitcase and threw it at me and said get out, I just want you out of here'.

"On Thursday morning it was as though nothing had happened but he said he didn't want me back because he'd had enough."

Mr Ingham had spoken to neighbour Corrine Barker and made light of trying to commit suicide.

She said: "David used to come round to drop his car keys off so he couldn't drive when he'd been drinking.

"He came into the garden one sunny day and made a joke that he had tried to hang himself but he was scared because the chair slipped so I told him he was silly."

On July 2, Mr Ingham was found dead at his home.