A 60-year-oldwas found hanged in his garage the day after his partner moved out, an inquest heard.

David Weaving, of Kelvedon, had sent an e-mail to his partner Jean Carr saying " I love you Jean", before he took his own life.

At an inquest in Chelmsford yesterday, Mrs Carr said she had seen him for two hours the day before he died.

He had been "joking about", but "he was very upset as I left him to move into my friend's house, " she added.

She said: "He was begging me to stay."

On November 30, 2007, when he did not answer the phone, she went to his home and found all the lights on.

She said his dog was running round in circles and seemed upset.

Mrs Carr read his e-mail sent to her computer, before she started calling out to him and looking around the house for him.

Eventually she found him hanging from a rafter in the garage and phoned the police.

At the inquest, Nicola Gooding, his daughter, said: "He did say how worried he was about turning 60 and going to be on his own."

She was also concerned when he told her he spent the night at a cemetery visiting relatives.

Dr Jolanta McKenzie, deputy coroner, said: "I would like to give a narrative verdict that David Weaving took his own life."