A RETIRED policeman who quit the force after a nervous breakdown killed himself by setting his house on fire, an inquest heard yesterday.

Neighbours of 61-year-old Allan Campbell begged him to leave his home in Coniston Close, Belmont, near Durham City, when they saw smoke coming from it.

But he refused and remained inside while the temperature rose to more than 1,000 degrees Celsius.

Neighbour John Dance forced open the front door of the house but was unable to get inside because of the heat and smoke.

He said: "It was blazing inferno. I screamed at him to get down but there was no appearance of him trying to get out."

Next door neighbour Vivien Edwards, who had known Mr Campbell for more than 30 years, said: "I shouted for Allan to come out and he said: 'No'. I asked three times for him to come out and each time he said: 'No'.

"I could not have gone in there because the smoke was very dense. I couldn't get into the house."

Firefighters were called to the blaze at 2pm on October 13 last year and found Mr Campbell dead in his hallway.

An investigation established the fire was started deliberately on the three-seater settee in the lounge.

A post-mortem examination revealed he died from the effects of smoke inhalation and suffered burns to the head and chest during the fire.

Toxicology reports indicate he was heavily under the influence of alcohol at the time.

Mr Campbell was a policeman for 22 years serving in Glasgow and Durham City. He left in 1987 after suffering a mental breakdown - which led him to mutilate his hand because he couldn't stand the sight of his writing.

The former policeman underwent treatment for several disorders and later bravely told of his battle in an interview with The Northern Echo. He said: "Looking back, I suppose I have had an anxiety disorder most of my life."

Ann Forbes, a social worker with the community mental health team, said she had spoken to Mr Campbell the morning of his death.

He had not mentioned any suicidal intentions during their conversation but called back to speak to her after she left the office.

Ms Forbes said a worried colleague called her on her mobile and said he had told her he was going to burn the house down.

She said: "I have never had a situation where someone wants help and is as desperate as that."

North Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle recorded a verdict that Mr Campbell wanted to take his own life.