A father who had suffered with mental health issues and insomnia for several years was found dead in his bathroom by his son.

Steven Richardson, of Colne Road, Sough, in Barnoldswick, took his own life on November 29 last year after a bout of insomnia resulted in the return of paranoid thoughts and voices in his head.

An inquest at Accrington Town Hall heard that the 53-year-old had always managed to get himself out of these periods of low mood and lack of sleep, sometimes by reading self help articles, and had not seen his GP since 2015.

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His wife Lorraine, in a statement, said that on November 29 she had left for work as usual but then received a phone call from her son around 8.45am asking her to come home as he had found his dad in the bathroom. 

Son, Chris, said he went to the bathroom around 6am and could hear his dad downstairs. 

At 8.15am he got up and tried to access the bathroom again but saw the door was closed so went downstairs to make some breakfast.

A statement from Chris read: "About ten minutes later I hadn't heard any movement and knocked on the bathroom door and asked 'are you ok dad?'.

"I had to force the door open and saw my dad there. I went to call 999 and then went to grab a knife to cut him down and started CPR and continued with CPR until the ambulance came, and then called my mum."

Coroner Mark Williams said: "Mrs Richardson said her husband had suffered with mental health issues for around 12 years but had seemed to be doing well over the last few years.

"He had taken anti-depressants in the past but said they stopped working and so he weaned himself off them, using self-help to bring him out of the fog whenever he experienced low mood.

"He had not been known to the mental health services since 2008 and he had never made any reference or attempt to take his own life.

"There was no evidence of suicidal ideation and he had over the years been successful in pulling himself out of depression.

"There had been a return of his insomnia before his death and tragically his son found him on November 29.

"A medical cause of death as asphyxiation by hanging was offered and I record a conclusion of suicide."

If you are suffering with depression or have been affected by anything in this article you can call the Samaritans free on 116 123.