A father of two created a message made of twigs which read "God Bless At Christmas" just yards from where his body was found in Oxfordshire woodlands, an inquest heard.

Andrew Barnes suffered with epilepsy and had a history of depression. He was last seen by his wife at 11am on Sunday, December 9, when he went out for a walk.

Oxfordshire coroner Nicholas Gardiner yesterday ruled that the 31-year-old, who had made several previous suicide bids, took his own life by taking an overdose of the anti-depression drug Paroxatime.

On the morning of December 9, she said he packed a rucksack and went for a walk. He often did this, she said, and he would sometimes be gone all night.

But when he did not phone or return the next day, she alerted the police, who began searching for him.

The body was found at Keeper's Covert, on December 11.

The site, known locally as Teddy Bear's Wood, is located between Wroxton and North Newington.

Pc Ellis said he found a rucksack, a bottle of Bailey's and a knife, which Mr Barnes used to peel apples, next to an area of cleared ground.

The twigs were placed on this area of soil.