A MAN told a friend he intended becoming the first suicide victim from the Gateshead Millennium bridge hours before he jumped off the landmark and drowned.

A Newcastle coroner was told yesterday how Kevin Dormand, 43, who had alcohol problems and had left notes for members of his family, made no effort to reach a life belt thrown to him by police.

His body was found in the River Tyne a month later and a post mortem revealed he had drowned.

Michael Mcmann told today's hearing he had met Mr Dormand in a Newcastle pub, on January 22.

Mr Dormand told him he had problems, had had a stroke and had lost his job.

Mr Mcmann said: "He said to me he thought he would be the first one to throw himself off the Millennium Bridge.

"He told me to ring the newspapers at 5pm because that was when it was he was going to throw himself in."

Mr Mcmann added he thought his friend was joking and had no idea that he would carry the threat out.

Geoffrey Aitken, who was visiting the bridge with his family, said he noticed Mr Dormand, who appeared under the influence, hanging on to the railings of the bridge.

He said: "I saw him struggling to get up and remarked to my wife that he was going to jump.

"I turned around to go back and as I did so I heard a loud splash and saw him in the water."

A police woman called to the scene threw him a life belt, but he made no effort to reach it and disappeared.

The hearing was told Mr Dormand of Backworth, North Tyneside, had been treated by a Crisis Assessment Team for his alcohol problem. His medication was stopped a day before his death, after he had been referred for further treatment.

Coroner David Mitford said although Mr Dormand may have been under the influence at the time he had nevertheless contemplated suicide for some time - and when he was sober.

Mr Mitford added, several notes found at his mother's house made it clear he was contemplating taking his life and he ruled accordingly.