A FATHER-of-five made a chilling prediction of his own suicide by drawing a picture of a coffin with his name on it.

Mark Hoban, aged 26, also wrote the words ASAP under a date of death heading after becoming depressed when his children were taken into care.

Bolton Coroner's Court heard that he was found hanged at his house in Coronation Avenue, Atherton, in September, by a friend who had climbed through a window.

Alan Walsh, deputy coroner for Bolton, heard that after Mr Hobans death, his mother, Elaine Hoban, of Westhoughton, was tidying his documents when she found the coffin drawing.

Mrs Hoban, who has two other sons, said Mark, who was unemployed, had been in a relationship with a girlfriend for 10 years.

She said: "The relationship was very volatile.

"They couldn't live with each other but they couldn't live without each other."

Though Mr Hoban was given a contact order allowing him to see his children, he failed to do so.

The court heard that the former Westhoughton High School pupil, whose real surname was Cocklin, had tried to kill himself before.

His mother said: "I only found out about that the day after his death, from his girlfriend.

"I think he got it into his head that everything would be better without him.

"If he wasn't around, his girlfriend would get the children back. I don't think he had anything to live for."

She added that six months before his death her son wrote 'out of the blue' to thank her.

Mrs Hoban said she thought it was her son's way of saying goodbye.

"It was very unusual because he rarely sent me a birthday or Christmas card," she said.

In written testimony to the court, Mr Hoban's friend, who found his body, Andrew Whitty, of Everest Road, Atherton said: "I knew something was wrong when I went in. The TV was on and when I shouted there was no answer.

"I ran up the stairs and saw Mark hanging from the loft hatch."

Recording a verdict of suicide, Alan Walsh, deputy coroner for Bolton said: "It is extremely sad that someone who was the father of five children, who had such difficulties, could not find a way forward.

"Like many people, he couldn't come to terms with what the future had to hold."