FORMER Blackburn Rovers defender Dave Whelan told of the catastrophic depression which caused son-in-law Duncan Sharpe to hang himself from a tree.

Mr Whelan said that Mr Sharpe, who was chief executive of the JJB Sports empire, founded by Mr Whelan, turned from being "full of life" to an uncharacteristically "very, very worried" person.

An inquest at Ribble Valley Town Hall also heard from a psychiatrist who said Mr Sharpe's depression caused him to look at events in a negative and catastrophic way even though there was no foundation for such pessimism.

Married father-of-four Mr Sharpe was worried about his ability to fulfil his role in JJB, as well as his family and a kidney stones problem which had caused him to pass blood.

He had been due to present JJB's half year profits to the city on the week he died.

But on October 7 farmer Stanley Roberts found Mr Sharpe, 43, hanging from a tree in his field in Anna Lane, near Bolton-by-Bowland, several miles from his Waddington Old Hall mansion where he lived with wife Jayne and their four children Laura, Matthew, David and Paul.

Coroner Michael Singleton recorded a verdict of suicide.

He said it was a most terrible tragedy because Mr Sharpe seemed to have everything to live for.

Mr Whelan, who played for Rovers over 40 years ago, said: "Duncan came to see me and ask if we would consider him standing down because he was very worried about his illness and didn't feel he could fulfil his duties.

"Over a period of three or four months he became very depressed and I saw the downturn in his work and attitude toward work.

"He became a very, very worried person which was most unlike Duncan because he was very full of life and good spirits.

"It was brought to my attention that he had left a note for one of our directors that it was getting on top of him and he couldn't take any more.

"That gave me some concern and I spoke to him about it and I thought he was on the mend and looking a bit better.

"I last saw him at a football match on the Saturday at the JJB Stadium.

"I asked him if he was well and he said 'yes' and that's the last I saw of him." Dr Richard Haslam told the inquest he had been treating Mr Sharpe at The Priory Hospital in Altrincham, from September 19.

He read a psychiatric report, in which he said Mr Sharpe was distressed and worried about his personal and business life and "expressed thoughts that life was not worth living".

Mr Sharpe refused to take medication until the last time he saw Dr Haslam on October 3 and had previously checked himself out against medical advice.

Dr Haslam said: "He did not want to remain in hospital. He was extremely fearful of the publicity if it was found out he was in hospital.

"He felt the health of the company could be threatened by negative publicity."

However, on the last meeting Dr Haslam thought Mr Sharpe felt much better and was thinking about changing his role in JJB.

Dr Haslam said it was a shock to hear of Mr Sharpe's death.

Mr Sharpe's GP, Dr Zaman Ansar, said that Mr Sharpe had a history of trouble with kidney stones, but added that none of the problems were life-threatening.

Forensic pathologist William Lawler told the inquest there were no other significant injuries other than those around the neck and concluded that death was caused from hanging.

Mr Singleton said: "I can only begin to imagine the distress and grief left in his wake."