A MAN died from severe head injuries after walking into the path of an oncoming train, an inquest heard yesterday.

The inquest at County Hall, in Durham, heard that John Walker, 47, of Esh Winning, attempted to lie down in front of a southbound train just beyond Durham station.

Before he could he was struck by the 5am Arriva service en route to Darlington.

Train driver David Gildea said he saw Mr Walker standing on the far side of the track just as he was approaching a left bend, beyond the viaduct.

Mr Walker started walking across the track, stopping between the southbound rails. Mr Gildea said that although he slammed on the emergency brakes, he was unable to prevent the train from colliding with Mr Walker.

The inquest heard that police found two notes at the scene - one to whoever found Mr Walker's body, asking them to contact his wife, and the other to his family, simply saying "so sorry".

The weekend prior to his death, on Saturday, July 28 this year, Mr Walker admitted himself to the County Hospital, in Durham, suffering from depression.

Nurse Eleanor Ducker said he talked freely about the stress of work and problems with his son coming to live with him.

He left the hospital on the Friday before he died, having arranged to return on Monday.

Mr Walker's wife Alison, of Station Road, Esh Winning, from whom he had been separated for two years, said: "John was unhappy. He saw himself as a failure, but he wasn't."

A jury returned a verdict of suicide.