A FATHER with anxiety so severe he would wake up screaming from ‘horrendous nightmares’ took his own life, an inquest has heard.

Peter Knight, of Litchfield Close, Andover, died on February 12, this year.

Mr Knight had been diagnosed with anxiety on January 27, but his history with mental illness dated back more than a decade.

Speaking at Winchester Coroner’s Court on Wednesday his wife, Gillian, said he had counselling at Andover Mind for “quite some time” in 2009.

His brother, David, added that Mr Knight “was at his lowest” between 2007 and 2009.

David Knight also recalled his brother “describing himself during this time as ‘proper mad’” and on one occasion alluding to him his suicidal thoughts.

Mrs Knight says her husband’s anxiety was so bad he had trouble sleeping and when he did manage to do so, “he would have horrendous nightmares, waking up screaming.”

His illness prevented him from working in the weeks before his death.

Mrs Knight added: “He wasn’t working at the time. He couldn’t physically work. He was too anxious to do anything. He had stopped functioning.”

Mr Knight was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder after an appointment with a doctor at St Mary’s Surgery on January 27.

He was referred to a community mental health team and attended an assessment on February 12, but declined an offer of support, the inquest heard. The next day, he was found hung in a barn in Goodworth Clatford.

Mrs Knight said her husband believed he had other mental health issues, including obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

Recording a conclusion of suicide, senior coroner Grahame Short said: “I believe he had other mental health issues which were not necessarily diagnosed. I think he did show signs of OCD and I find he probably also had delusions that were not formally diagnosed.

“He was also reluctant to accept help and more reluctant to discuss his problems with anyone else.

“It could not be anything else but a deliberate act. I don’t fully understand the reason. I suspect it was because he could no longer cope with the stress of his life in general, but I cannot say that for certain.”