A father of three children has reportedly hanged himself during a romantic holiday he was on with his own girlfriend.
Nick Crook hanged himself after a row with his girlfriend during a 'make or break' holiday in the Canary Islands.
A British tourist hanged himself after a row with his girlfriend during a 'make or break' holiday in the Canary Islands, an inquest heard.
Nick Crook, 47, stormed back to his hotel room in Fuerteventura after Vanessa Grant said she was leaving him following an argument about him not socialising with other holidaymakers.
The father-of-three, from Bacup, Lancashire, was thought to have deliberately left the door of their room open in the hope of being found in time - but he was already dead by the time Ms Grant arrived back three hours later.
His family later had to launch a fundraising campaign to raise the £5,000 cost of bringing his body home.
Mr Crook, a foreman at a recycling plant, had been described by his family as an 'an amazing friend to everyone' but an inquest heard he had a history of taking overdoses to seek attention.
He split up with his wife Nicola in 2005 and last year began a relationship with Ms Grant but in the days leading up the holiday he had told his family the romance was in trouble.
The tragedy occurred after he and Ms Grant booked into the Caleta Playa Apartments in May last year.
Ms Grant told the inquest, in Burnley: 'Nick and I had been in a relationship for a few months. We had gone on holiday and on that day he was quite vacant. We had met some other couples and I was telling him that he needed to be more sociable.
'After that we went back to the room. We argued and I told him that when we got back home I was leaving him.
'He told me he was going to hang himself but I didn't take it seriously at all. I wasn't aware of the other occasions.
'We went down to the bar and Nick said: "You don't love me." At about 8.30pm he left and I went for a drink with one of the other couples. I got back to the hotel room at about 11pm.
'As I approached the room the patio doors were open and the lights were on and he was very visible. I ran down to reception and one of the other couples tried to see if he was breathing but there was nothing there.'
Mr Crook's ex-wife Nicola told the inquest: 'I spoke to him on the Saturday before he went on holiday. We hadn't spoken for about six weeks before that because we had argued about his latest girlfriend.
'We were on the phone for about 45 minutes and he went on about how bad the relationship had been. He said that it was a "make or break" holiday.
'I just couldn't understand what happened. Knowing Nick as well as I knew him and how much he adored his daughters. I don't believe that he intended to die on that day. I think within seconds something has gone drastically wrong.'
She added: 'Nick and I separated in 2005 and he really struggled with the separation and when he took these overdoses he would always ring me.
'He would never do it and not let anyone know. It was always to get my attention and to try and get us back together but he never wanted to die.
'He tried this three or four more times but he would always tell me or get help of a friend. Over time he accepted it because he knew there was no going back and he was a really good friend after that.
'On one occasion after our break up when I was away on holiday with friends he left a rope at the top of the stairs and told me he was going to hang himself.
'He was in a serious relationship for a few years and was very low when that ended but he never did anything like the stuff before. He had always been a really good dad and would do anything for his girls.'
Mr Crook's GP Dr Rebecca Roxburgh said: 'Nick had a mental health assessment but he denied any suicide attempt stating he took an overdose to alert his estranged wife to his distress. The other two attempts were for similar reasons.
'There was no clear evidence of any depressive illness and they deemed his behaviour as a reaction.'
Recording a conclusion of death by hanging, Coroner Richard Taylor said: 'I have the background of someone who reacts in certain ways on occasions.
'His former wife tells me that in 2005 there were three overdoses but he always wanted to be found and accepted that it was for attention.
'Two years after that there was an incident saying he was going to hang himself and left a rope on the stairs but he never did.
'On this occasion there was an argument and he said he was going to hang himself. That comment was not believed. He goes back to the room and leaves the light on and the door open and can easily be seen.
'I have insufficient evidence to clearly state what his intention was. I could not be sure that his intention was to end his life.'
No details of any investigation by the Spanish authorities was given at the inquest.
At the time of Mr Crook's death his daughter Skye, 19, said: 'Dad's death has been a shock to everyone. We have so many questions that we will never have the answers to because he left us so soon.
'Words cannot describe the way we are feeling about what has happened and we are truly broken. We love our dad insanely and the bond we have will never be replaced We've been touched and absolutely overwhelmed by the support we received.
'Words cannot honestly thank everyone enough who have helped and supported us through this hard time. Dad was an amazing friend to everyone.'
Source: Daily Mail UK
