A Shropshire police officer found hanged days after his sweetheart accepted his Christmas Day marriage proposal was suspended from work just before his death, an inquest heard.

Kevin Hughes, 45, a Whitchurch police constable for 22 years, was found hanged yards from his home in Penley, near Ellesmere, on December 27, 2009. His death has baffled friends, colleagues and his partner of three years, Carole Formby.

At his inquest in Wrexham yesterday, it emerged Mr Hughes was suspended from his job with West Mercia Police on full pay on December 9.

After the inquest police confirmed they had been investigating Mr Hughes after receiving reports of “a criminal nature”.

But during the hearing Mr John Hughes, North East Wales Coroner, said Mr Hughes was never charged with anything and “remained an innocent man until proven guilty”.

He recorded a verdict that Mr Hughes, a divorced father-of-two, committed suicide, giving the cause of death as asphyxia due to hanging.

He added there was no third party involvement and that “whatever happened, it happened by his own hand”.

Toxicology reports showed no drugs or alcohol in Mr Hughes’ body and he left no suicide note and gave nobody any indication of what he intended to do, the hearing heard.

The inquest heard neighbours tried unsuccessfully to revive Mr Hughes after finding his lifeless body slumped beside a fence on an unadopted road leading to Penley Hall Farm.

Initially passers-by could not get near Mr Hughes to help because his dog was standing guard over the body.

Miss Formby told the inquest: “I’m aware that he loved his work and took the suspension rather badly. I assured him we would get through this and that everything would turn out alright.”

She added that over the Christmas break Mr Hughes seemed “down” and “depressed”.