AN assistant bank manager who suffered from depression committed suicide by hanging himself, an inquest heard yesterday.

Michael Fisk was found hanging from the loft rafters with a rope around his neck at his home in Lanark Drive, Horsforth, in October last year.

A suicide note written by the 53-year-old divorcee, who had a history of depression since 1988, was also found in the house.

Leeds Coroner's Court heard that Mr Fisk had taken voluntary redundancy from his position as assistant manager at Natwest Bank, but was worried about his finances.

Through a statement read by Otley Coroner's Officer Graham Lumley, Mr Fisk's partner, Maria Swider, said that he had also been worried about getting another job, and in August last year she got him a part-time office job.

It soon became apparent that he was having trouble holding the job down and he told her that he felt under pressure.

Mr Fisk became ill and towards the end of the month was sanctioned to High Royds Hospital for treatment of his depression.

During September he enjoyed weekend leave in his home and on October 11 he had a week's home leave.

Ms Swider added: "We went shopping on the Saturday and did not get back until late, and on Sunday we went out walking. I decided to go home to my own house on Sunday night and he seemed quite happy. The following day I rang a number of times but there was no reply."

She decided to visit her partner, but found him hanging with a rope wrapped around his neck at 5.10pm that day.

"I cannot think of any one reason why he would killed himself," she added. "It must have been a culmination of his problems."

Leeds Coroner David Hinchliff said: "He was receiving treatment for depression at High Royds and was currently on home leave. He had been suffering from depression for a number of years and at the time that he died he had another depressive episode which led him to take the action that he did."

He added that Mr Fisk's suicide note directed him to record a verdict of suicide.