A COMPANY director took his life after a long mental health battle, an inquest heard.

Father-of-one Jonathan Dugdale, 37, a director of Dugdales Connected Smart Homes, died three days after he was found hanged at his mother Christine’s home in Waddington on October 15.

A hearing in Clitheroe was told Mr Dugdale had become increasingly ill from January 2016 and diagnosed himself with Asperger’s Syndrome and sought help from a group.

His mother Christine, told the hearing Mr Dugdale, of Beechthorpe Avenue, Waddington, had several mental health episodes during the first half of 2016 which ended in him being sectioned and spending a month on Hodder Ward in Burnley from July to August.

There he was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. After treatment his condition improved and he was released into the care of the mental health crisis team while living at the family home.

He remained in touch with them until the attempt to take his own life in October. Coroner Michael Singleton recorded a verdict of suicide.