'Hard-working and funny' dad-of-two took his own life after mental health battle

A 'hard-working and funny' dad-of-two took his own life after a mental health battle, an inquest heard.

Gareth Lancaster, 29, known as ‘Gas Gaz’ due to his plumbing work, was found hanged at his home on Baytree Road in Wigan by his fiancée Tandia Constantine.

An inquest at Bolton Coroners Court heard how she ran to a neighbours to raise the alarm and an ambulance was called at 8pm on June 8. Gareth received 30 minutes of CPR, from bystanders and then paramedics, before being rushed to Royal Albert Edward Infirmary.

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Gareth was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit in the early hours of June 9 but a CT scan confirmed he had an unsurvivable brain injury, and he did not regain consciousness. The court heard how, on June 10, his family made the agonising decision to withdraw his life support.

Gareth leaves behind his fiancée Tandia, 22-month-old daughter Annie and seven-month-old son Albert, as well as his father Graham and siblings Jonathan, Ryan, Megan and Declan. Tragically the family lost Gareth's mother, Adele, to cancer two years ago.

Coroner Peter Sigee read out a statement from Gareth's father Graham Lancaster, who described his son as "outgoing, hard-working and funny". He said he was not aware of any concerns regarding Gareth's wellbeing and was shocked when he received a call from Tandia to say his son had died.

The court heard Gareth had never been diagnosed with mental health problems, although he had expressed feelings of low mood and anger in February 2019 and had been directed through his own GP to anger management resources.

The inquest heard Tandia said Gareth had told her he was struggling with his mental