A MAN with long-standing mental health problems plunged to his death from the second floor of a Blackburn hostel.

An inquest heard that hours earlier Paul Gates, 45, had spoken to his mum, told her he was fine and that he loved her very much.

But his mother, Patricia Gates, said her son's problems went back to when he was just 18-years-old and was involved in a motorcycle accident.

He suffered severe head injuries and was later diagnosed as being paranoid schizophrenic.

In following years he received in-patient psychiatric care on several occasions.

Paul Bamber, manager of Union House, St Peter Street, Blackburn, where Mr Gates had been a resident for over 10 years, said that earlier this year a member of staff had referred him back to hospital.

He spent some time on the psychiatric unit at Blackpool Victoria and on his return seemed a lot calmer.

"He came into the office and said it had been due to him playing around with his medication and reassured us he was going to keep to his prescription," said Mr Bamber.

He told how he was in his office at about 8.20am on May 12 when he heard a thud from outside the window.

He found Mr Gates on the forecourt underneath his second floor bedroom window.

He said he glanced up to see the top opener open and a curtain outside the window.

"I concluded he had jumped from his window sill and landed head first," said Mr Bamber.

"He would have had to climb out of the window rather than fall and I felt Paul used the curtain to steady himself as he climbed out.

Giving a narrative verdict coroner Michael Singleton said it had been a deliberate act by Mr Gates.

He added: "It seems to me his intention was to bring about his own demise although I am satisfied the balance of his mind was disturbed."