A County Durham businessman was found dead in his garage by his wife after a ‘crisis at work’.

Andrew Dolby, known as Andy, was found hanged at his home in Barnard Castle on June 14 by his wife, an inquest at Crook Coroners’ Court heard on Monday (August 12).

The inquest heard he “waved and smiled” at his wife and their daughter as they left for the school run, the last time Andy was seen alive.

When his wife returned at about 10.30am she noticed the garage door was unlocked and “ran in” to find her husband.

Dolby, who owned an architectural firm ‘Design by Pod’, had had a crisis at work two days earlier, the inquest was told.

A statement from police read to the court said officers were told by his wife that he “had been feeling low for a while but over the last few weeks he had got worse and had a breakdown on June 12 at work”.

It said: “He was struggling with work stress. He was running his own business and one of his partners had left and was stressed about getting a replacement.”

Andy, 52, got a doctor’s appointment that night with Dr Rowan at Barnard Castle Surgery, who said in a statement that the businessman had no previous mental health history.

He was prescribed anti-depressant mirtazapine and had taken his first dose that evening.

Ambulance crews pronounced him dead at the scene. He was described as their daughter’s “biggest cheerleader” and had recently completed a big work project.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, Assistant Coroner Dr Leslie Hamilton said: “It is one of those horrible situations where we can never answer the most important question… why?

“I cannot imagine what it must have been like to find him like that.”

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