A SACKED accountancy firm employee was found hanged at his home just weeks after losing his job, an inquest has heard

John Westhead, aged 50, kept his dismissal secret from his fiancee, who found him at his Dalton home in April.

Consultant pathologist Dr Sarah Hauxwell, who carried out the postmortem on Mr Westhead, reported to the coroner she had found nothing out of the ordinary during her examination.

A toxicology report also concluded there was no trace of alcohol, drugs or medication present in Mr Westhead's blood.

Medical evidence provided to the inquest at Barrow Town Hall by his GP indicated Mr Westhead was in good health and had not needed to see a doctor since 2013.

Mr Westhead's partner Sarah Banks, gave evidence to the coroner, stating she had lived with Mr Westhead for seven years.

It was heard Mr Westhead had been made redundant from his job at the HMRC office in Barrow in 2015, and he had been unemployed for several months.

He eventually found employment with J F Hornby and Co. Chartered Accountants in Ulverston in November 2015.

After working there for several months, Mr Westhead was dismissed from the firm at the end of March this year after a period of unauthorised absences.

Miss Banks told the coroner she was unaware of her partner's dismissal, believing he was on holiday.

Coroner Robert Chapman said: "As far as you were aware, there was no problem at work."

On April 12 Miss Banks was arranging to pay a deposit for her wedding to Mr Westhead, and had arranged to call her partner to confirm this.

After not hearing from him, she called his employers, who informed her of his dismissal.

She returned home at around 5.15pm and discovered the body of her partner, the inquest heard.

Police and paramedics were called, but Mr Westhead was pronounced dead at 5.30pm.

Based on the evidence provided by the pathologist and police, Mr Chapman concluded Mr Westhead died as a result of hanging. He said: "I conclude that he killed himself."