A MAN cut his wrists on a kitchen knife and hanged himself from a motorway bridge after nearly a year of unemployment, an inquest has heard.

Terrence Mackay, 42, of Ambleside, Sittingbourne, was found hanging from the Painter's Forstal Road bridge over the M2 last August.

He had been to counselling and was awaiting an appointment with a psychiatrist.

The inquest into his death was held in Ashford, when deputy coroner Christine Freedman heard how window cleaner Mr Mackay had injured his knee in September 2001.

Because of the injury, he was in too much pain to work, or even climb the stairs.

His wife of seven years, Theresa, said: "He stayed at home all the time and never went out. He had an operation in May 2002 but the surgeons said there was nothing they could do.

"In July he took an overdose of painkillers and was taken to hospital. After that he was referred for counselling."

Mr Mackay was also referred to a psychiatrist, but could not get an appointment until October - two months after his death.

Despite extensive tests, the reason for his knee pain was never discovered by doctors.

"He went to counselling two or three times but didn't like it," added Mrs Mackay. "He talked about suicide, but I think the overdose was a cry for help."

On the week of his death he was sleeping downstairs as he could not make it up the stairs.

"He was eating properly and seemed a lot happier," said Mrs Mackay. "It was the last day I would have expected him to go. We had friends round for supper the night before."

When Mrs Mackay came downstairs on the morning of August 20, Mr Mackay was not in the house. She ventured outside and found blankets, a pillow and bloodstained knife in the garden. A note was found, telling Mrs Mackay to sell the house.

On the road to Painters Forstal, Faversham man Gareth Baisdon's van ran out of diesel on the bridge at about 6am.

"I got out of the van to call my brother and noticed a gentleman on the motorway waving at me," he said. "I saw a strap on the bridge and when I looked down there was a gentleman hanging there looking up at me."

He had slit his wrists and hanged himself on a leather belt.

Doctor Aminu Abdulkadir confirmed that the cause of death was asphyxia, with secondary haemorrhaging caused by the wrist lacerations.

Confirming her suicide verdict, Mrs Freedman said: "The act of hanging particularly in circumstances remote from his home, seem to me to suggest a clear intention. Sadly, he took his own life."