A MAN was found hanged days before he was due to return to work after recovering from injury, an inquest heard yesterday.

Denis Dickson, 57, was forced to leave his employment as a lorry driver after he shattered both his heels in a fall from a ladder.

His former wife, Sandra Dickson, told the Bishop Auckland hearing that Mr Dickson had been delighted at the prospect of returning to work and was not depressed.

"He planned to go back on the Wednesday. He was going to give it a try for a couple of days," she said.

When he failed to turn up at work, Mrs Dickson and her daughter became worried and visited his home at Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, and found her former husband's body.

Mr Dickson had tied a rope to a door and hanged himself. No note was found.

South Durham and Darlington Coroner Colin Penna recorded a verdict that Mr Dickson had taken his own life.

He said: "It appears from what Mrs Dickson has told me, he was a good worker and had been all his life and found it difficult almost to lose time from work."