A 52-year-old garage supervisior took his own life, despite having everything to live for, an inquest heard.

Coroner Rob Turnbull recorded a verdict that Edward Hunt of Brompton on Swale, near Richmond, killed himself - but said his death was “baffling.”

Mr Hunt's wife, Diane, said the couple had been seperated for some years but got on well.

The father-of-two was due to visit for Sunday lunch last November but when he failed to arrive she and their daughter went to his home and found him hanged.

Mrs Hunt said he had been made redundant from a job he loved and had begun working for Evans Halshaw - something he found more difficult but was dealing with.

"I have known him for 21 years and never expected him to take his own life,” she told the Richmond inquest.

His partner Ruth Appleby said he had not been sleeping well and was feeling the pressure of his new job but seemed fine.

“Eddie would have been the last person in the world I would have expected to do this," she added.

The evening before his death he had had tea with his daughter and went out with a friend, giving no indication of any problems while no notes or letters were found in his house.

Mr Turnbull said:”The only thing that seems to have been any concern was the job and I don’t see why this would have caused this dramatic action.

"I can only conclude he took his own life, I don’t see why he seemed to have everything going for him and everything to live for.”