A 42-year-old self-employed building contractor discovered hanging from a rafter at his Great Totham home by his wife had been having marital problems.

Mrs Denise Brown told police that her husband had given no indication that he wished to take his own life, having had a shower shortly before she found him hanged with a rope, a coroner was told last week.

Coroner's officer Pc Derek Sewell said that Mrs Brown, who did not attend the hearing, summoned the emergency services, but it was too late to save her husband.

A post-mortem examination, which found no alcohol or drugs present, concluded that Mr Brown died from asphyxia due to hanging.

PC Sewell said that Mr Brown ran his company from an office at the back of their home, where he was found hanging on October 30 last year.

Mr Brown's business was financially sound, but he had marriage problems. No note was discovered and there were no suspicious circumstances, said PC Sewell.

Essex coroner Dr Malcolm Weir said at the Chelmsford inquest that all marriages encountered difficulties from time to time and, because there was no evidence that Mr Brown had intended to take his life, an open verdict was appropriate.

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