A faith healer who was spurned by a young woman hanged himself while she packed her bags, an inquest heard yesterday.

Heartbroken spiritual therapist Bill Harrison, 60, pictured, was devastated when colleague and friend Jayne Heaslip returned from a holiday to tell him that she did not want a romantic relationship last April

An inquest into Mr Harrison's death was held in his home village of Wedmore, near Cheddar, yesterday and heard that the revered medium, teacher and healer had confessed his feelings to Miss Heaslip who had worked alongside him at his Corner Cottage home and healing sanctuary.

Miss Heaslip, a healing therapist in her 30s, said: "I was very fond of him but didn't want to pursue it. He took it quite hard. I'd been to Egypt with a friend who knew about the predicament I was in, I needed to think things through clearly.

"I felt that I couldn't continue working from the cottage. If there was to be no relationship then basically, I felt I had to leave."

Miss Heaslip told the former Bristol airport fire fighter his feelings were not reciprocated on April 21 and began packing her things. Mr Harrison walked away and she assumed he had gone into the house. But instead he had gone to a shed in the garden and hanged himself from a roof beam.

Miss Heaslip told West Somerset Coroner Michael Rose: "I thought he'd gone upstairs but he must have gone to the shed. I heard a loud crash. I went to the shed and found him. A chair was broken and roof tiles were on the floor."

Next-door neighbour Peter Hathaway and his wife heard Miss Heaslip's cries for help. They ran to the shed where Mr Hathaway tried to resuscitate Mr Harrison but his attempts failed.

Coroner Michael Rose found that Mr Harrison had taken his own life when the balance of his mind was disturbed and said: "A conversation took place and they were in no doubt that they couldn't continue together.

"I don't think anyone at the time could have known what an affect this had on him."

Divorcee Mr Harrison turned to faith healing 15 years ago and was well-known for his work with people and animals, which earned him the nickname 'Dr Doolittle'.