A RECOVERED alcoholic lost a lifelong battle with anxiety and drowned himself in the bath.

Brian McBain, of The Slade, Headington, was found dead by police after a neighbour raised fears for his welfare.

An inquest at Oxford Coroner’s Court yesterday heard how the 60-year-old went shopping for his neighbour Carole Kelly every other day, so when he did not turn up on the morning of May 13 she raised the alarm.

Assistant coroner Nicholas Graham read a statement from Mr McBain’s GP at Bury Knowle Heath Centre, Melissa Holden.

Dr Holden, who had known Mr McBain since 2007, said he suffered from anxiety and depression and had once relied on alcohol to self-medicate.

She said he managed to quit drinking seven years ago but was left with crippling anxiety.

He tried various medications including Fluoxetine and Diazapam, and for a while went to a day centre in Oxford for treatment.

She said he also smoked cannabis and police found some at his house after he died.

In January Mr McBain went back to Dr Holden and said he was feeling increasingly anxious, and worried that he might try to kill himself. She prescribed medication and referred him to the day service at Warneford Hospital.

In a statement, his neighbour Mrs Kelly said she had known the retired fork lift truck driver since he moved to The Slade 15 years ago.

She said: “He was a quiet man, he didn’t have many visitors.

He would do my shopping every other day, collect the list, then return with the shopping.

“The last time I saw him he walked past my window, I said ‘are you all right?’ and he said he was okay.”

Mr Graham said the cause of death was drowning and recorded a verdict of suicide.