A FATHER-of-three was found hanged at his remote farm amid a raft of money and personal worries, an inquest heard.

Stephen Haigh was concerned about a tax bill, a looming family court case and even a speeding course he was due to attend, Burnley Coroner’s Court was told.

The 51-year-old, who ran his own contract window-cleaning business, was discovered by his estranged wife Katie at Thorny Bank Farm, off Jinny Lane, Barley, on October 31. An investigation by police indicated there was no third-party involvement.

His wife Katie Haigh said her husband was ‘eccentric’ and kept problems to himself, never giving any indication of wanting to take his own life.

But he had left a series of small notes, including a line echoing the late comic Spike Milligan which read: ‘I told you I was poorly’.

Mrs Haigh said he had discussed wanting the line as the epitaph on his headstone, convincing her that he had intended to harm himself.

She told the inquest he was worried at paying a tax bill and the prospect of attending a court hearing over maintenance issues with an ex-partner.

“Stephen struggled with expressing himself and he didn’t cope well in social situations,” she said.

“He would have hated the thought of having to go through this process. He couldn’t have coped with it and he was very worried and he asked me if I would come with him.”

East Lancashire assistant coroner Mark Williams said he was satisified, after the note had been explained, that with the financial and personal issues he faced, Mr Haigh had taken his own life.