Mystery still surrounds why happy-go-lucky Devizes builder Paul Whitbread killed himself at a friend’s home in Urchfont in July.

The body of the 48-year-old father of two was found hanging from the bannister at Anvil House on The Green by his bike’s security chain on the afternoon of Saturday July 24 last year.

Although he hadn’t left a suicide note Wiltshire assistant deputy coroner Ian Singleton had no hesitation in saying Mr Whitbread took his own life.

Mr Whitbread’s brother, Tim, told the inquest in Trowbridge yesterday that he had seen his brother earlier the day he died as he worked on a painting job in Potterne.

He said: “He seemed fine and talked about going to a party that night. He was separated from his wife but he wasn’t depressed.”

Mr Singleton referred to a statement from Devizes skip operator Kevin Summers who was driving through the village on the Saturday afternoon.

Mr Summers said he heard a woman scream and stopped to see what was wrong. She told him that a man was dead in her house and, going into the house, he saw that it was Mr Whitbread, who had been a friend since childhood.

PC Walter Amos was one of the first police officers on the scene.

He said he had talked to the woman who lived at the house, whose name was not given at the hearing.

PC Amos said: “She said she and Mr Whitbread were going on a bike ride together. She went to get changed and heard some noise, but thought it was Paul messing around.

“She went out to the hall and saw that Paul was hanging from his security chain. She saw the padlock key lying on the stair and tried to undo it while supporting his body. But Mr Whitbread was a large gentleman and she was quite small.”

Mr Whitbread, who lived at Roseland Avenue, Devizes, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Mr Singleton said he was sure Mr Whitbread’s death would have required a deliberate act on his part and accepted the pathologist’s cause of death of hanging.

He said he was satisfied that, on the balance of the evidence, Mr Whitbread had taken his own life.

At the time of Mr Whitbread’s death his family released a statement.

It said: “He was a lovely character who lived for the moment and always looked for the best in people. He was always on the go and liked to help everybody out.

“He was hardworking, happy-go-lucky and very family oriented. He will be missed by us all.”

Anvil House is owned by Brian Roberts-Phare and his wife, Linda-Jane. Mr Roberts-Phare owns Bike n Boards cycle shop in Devizes, where Mr Whitbread had done some work.