A DEPRESSED man who had attempted suicide several times may have ended up killing himself by mistake, an inquest heard.

Paul Sexton tried different ways of killing himself, including setting fire to himself, slashing his arm and drinking disinfectant.

But the inquest heard that when the 48-year-old died, it might have been the result of a drink-fuelled mishap.

Passers-by heard the unemployed man call for help and attempt to swim to shore after he fell into the River Tees from a bridge behind Stockton town centre in May this year.

Forensic evidence showed that Mr Sexton, who lived in Bishopton Lane, Stockton, had drunk the equivalent of at least 11 pints of beer or 17 measures of spirits when he climbed over the railings and on to the main beam of the Millennium Bridge.

Friend Stephen Smith, who saw Mr Sexton take an overdose on an earlier occasion, said Mr Sexton had told him he wanted to be with his daughter, who died aged two, and his parents, who had both died.

Mr Smith, who was with Mr Sexton, on the day he fell into the river, said in a written statement: "He had climbed up the (main support) beam. I said 'what are you doing?'

"He said 'I have had enough' and he then jumped off the bridge.''

But civil servant Ena Taylor, who had been walking across the bridge, said it appeared Mr Sexton had accidentally fallen in.

She said: "He looked to me like he fell. He fell into the water, he went under and then he came up and started swimming towards to the Teesdale side.

"I saw a boat go towards him and try to get him. They did not get to him and he went under and didn't come up again.''

Colin White, of Cuthbert Close, Stockton, had been on the motorboat with his brother, Gary. He said: "We tried to get to him as soon as we could.

"The only words we heard him shout were 'help'.

"At the time we got there, he was exhausted and just went under the water and never came back up."

Recording an open verdict, Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield said: "He may have acted out of bravura or drawing attention to himself. He may have inadvertently slipped as he appeared to Mrs Taylor to have done, from the beam."