A dad-of-two who was found dead in a communal garden took his own life, a coroner has ruled.

Wayne Crooks, originally from Bury, was aged 39 when he was found hanging in the gardens at The Saxons, Back St Helens Road, Bolton, on Saturday March 5 this year by a woman walking her dog.

At an inquest held on Monday June 6, coroner Professor Alan Walsh heard how Mr Crooks had struggled with recurring problems throughout his life.

Prof Walsh said: “He clearly had problems from his childhood and he had problems at his place of employment, although a neighbour indicated that this may have been a case of his paranoia rather than his actual employment.”

According to police coroners officer Neil McCaffrey, Mr Crooks had been living at The Saxons for three years prior to his death having separated from his partner of six years and mother of his two children.

He was employed as an Amazon UK warehouse operative.

The inquest heard how Mr Crooks had struggled with depression and had suffered from self-harm years ago.

He referred himself to Bolton Single Point of Access, a service for people with mental and psychological health needs on February 24, just days before his death.

Evidence provided by mental health practitioner Deborah Louise Ackers said that although no acute risks were identified at the time, Me Crooks was referred to primary care the next day on February 25.

On the day of his death, Mr Crooks was found hanging by a dog walker, who went home and alerted her partner who then called police and paramedics.

Mr Crooks was then declared dead at the scene.

An investigation led by Detective Inspector Stuart Woodhead searched Mr Crooks’ home and discovered a handwritten note but no evidence of third-party involvement.

Pathologist Dr Patrick Waugh then performed a post-mortem and gave Mr Crook’s cause of death as hanging.

Prof Walsh then ruled that Mr Crooks had taken his own life and gave his condolences to his loved ones.