A LANDLORD who went with bailiffs to evict a 68-year-old tenant found him hanging from the kitchen door.

An inquest heard that Brian Johnson owed more than £3,000 in rent an the possession order had been made at the county court.

The owner of the house in New Wellington Street, Blackburn, Andrew Mayes, said he was not prepared for what confronted him when he entered the property on January 24.

Mr Mayes told how after the possession order was made, the judge gave Mr Johnson 28 days, double the usual period, to vacate the house.

He should have gone by December 5 and when he had not complied Mr Mayes went back to court for an enforcement order for the bailiffs to forcibly evict him.

Mr Mayes went to the house on January 24 with a bailiff called Mrs Catlow. The front door was unlocked and Mrs Catlow knocked several times before they went in.

"I called out Brian are you there mate' as we went into the house," said Mr Mayes. "As I walked out of the lounge he was there in front of me hanging from the kitchen door."

Mr Mayes said that after the body had been removed he returned and found a half empty bottle of whisky and some empty paracetamol packets.

Police also removed a will, a credit card, eviction notice, address book and a £20 note in an envelope which had been left on a table.

The medical cause of death was given as hanging, and coroner Michael Singleton recorded a verdict that Mr Johnson killed himself.