A WOMAN recalled how her boyfriend told her he loved her in their final conversation before he committed suicide. Stephen Whiting, 49, was found hanging by a rope in a workshop at his home at High Road, Gorefield on September 9. At his inquest at Fenland

A WOMAN recalled how her boyfriend told her he loved her in their final conversation before he committed suicide.

Stephen Whiting, 49, was found hanging by a rope in a workshop at his home at High Road, Gorefield on September 9.

At his inquest at Fenland Coroner's Court in Wisbech yesterday Melanie Thompson recollected a telephone conversation with Mr Whiting at 8pm the previous day.

She said: "He was dealing with some cheques. There was no argument between us but I could tell he was upset about something. He told me that he loved me and I got the impression that he was crying. He then hung up the phone."

After making several attempts to contact her boyfriend the following day Mrs Thompson went to his home where she found him dead.

She said this was completely unexpected and she had no reason to believe Mr Whiting would kill himself.

North and East Cambridgeshire coroner William Morris explained that Mr Whiting had left a letter to his mother saying farewell and explaining details about his will.

Mr Morris declared the cause of death to be suspensory asphyxia and returned a verdict of suicide.