A motorcyclist killed himself three years after being involved in a road accident which left him disabled, an inquest heard.

David Baldwin hit a raised manhole cover on Cragg Road, Shipley, in August 2002 and suffered serious injuries which "changed his life."

The hearing in Bradford was told Mr Baldwin, 41, needed full-time care when he was released from hospital.

He became depressed when he was told that he had reached the point of his recovery he would not improve from and that he would never be able to work again.

He enrolled in the Cellar Project in Shipley, a charity that helps people with mental health problems, after he had talked about ending his life.

But the hearing was told that in August this year Mr Baldwin had been in a foul mood and his partner Julie Mostin, who had given up her job to care for him, went to a neighbour's house to let him cool down.

While she was out Mr Baldwin, of Prospect Grove, Shipley, got in a taxi at around 10.30pm, bought some rope, went to the Cellar Project in Farfields Road, Shipley, and hanged himself from the fire escape.

After returning home to find him missing Miss Mostin went to Farfields Road but was tragically too late.

Consultant pathologist Dr Faisal Ali confirmed that the cause of death was cardiac arrest due to pressure on the nerves in the neck.

Coroner Roger Whittaker recorded a verdict that Mr Baldwin, a qualified chef who had been working in a furniture factory before the road accident, had taken his own life.

He said: "This is a tragic case of a young man who had everything going for him until the tragic road accident in 2002.

"Miss Mostin has said that it changed his life and that is no understatement."