A rock musician found dead on a railway line near Truro had been suffering from financial and marital difficulties and feared for his business, an inquest heard last week.

Gary Tudball, 44, a self-employed courier and rock band drummer from Budock Water, was found dead on a railway line at Tomperrow, Threemilestone on January 3, 2008.

He had sent a text message to his wife Hilary Tudball on January 2, 2008 saying "see you in the next life. I am so sorry."

Mr Tudball had recently moved out of the home he shared with wife Hilary and his four stepchildren.

The inquest heard Mr Tudball had money problems and had a pending court case for drink driving.

The coroner heard this could have led to the loss of his driving business.

Mr Tudball had also just applied for a Hackney carriage licence, which he would have lost if convicted.

Toxicology reports showed at the time of his death Mr Tudball had 240 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, the equivalent of three time the legal drink drive limit.

No traces of drugs were found in his system.

A toxicology report said the amount of alcohol would have had a significant detrimental effect' on Mr Tudball.

A statement from Mrs Tudball said at the time she received the text message saying "see you in the next life, I am so sorry" she, "did not think too much about it".

The inquest heard the line was from one of Gary's favourite films and she did not see it to be a suicide note as he had made plans to go away the next weekend.

She added she was extremely shocked and saddened by his death.

A statement from fellow band member Richard Harding said Mr Tudball had spoken to him on January 1 about leaving the band, saying he was depressed and needed a break'.

He called Mr Tudball a well liked talented drummer and said while he was aware he had problems and could over consume alcohol, he felt Mr Tudball had positive plans for the future.

CCTV footage obtained by police from the Spar shop in Threemilestone showed Mr Tudball buying a bottle of wine on the day of his death.

Richard Hubbard, a train driver for First Great Western, described how he had felt a clattering' underneath the train carriage approximately 45 minutes into the journey on the 7.35pm service from Penzance to London on January 2.

The noise occurred as he approached a tunnel under a bridge near Tomperrow, on the approach into Truro Station.

When he checked the train at the next opportunity there was no damage and he did not report the incident.

When a body was spotted by another train driver on January 3 Mr Hubbard came forward to make a statement.

Speaking at the inquest he said: "I did not see anyone. I certainly did not see a body."

He added it was dark and there was no sign of anyone in the area.

He said while he could not be sure he was the driver of the train that struck Mr Tudball, no other drivers had reported an incident.

PC Colin Burrell, of the British Transport Police was the first on the scene and found Mr Tudball's body next to the left-hand track on January 3, with a green wine bottle lying nearby.

Mr Tudball's broken watch, stopped at the time 8.11 was found next to the body.

PC Burrell said: "I believe he climbed the gate and positioned himself under the railway bridge on the line."

Pathologist, Dr Jones, described how Mr Tudball's traumatic injuries were consistent with someone run over by a train.

He suggested Mr Tudball had been lying down on the tracks when the train struck him.

Coroner for Cornwall Dr Emma Carlyon said although everything pointed to the fact Mr Tudball killed himself, she was not satisfied the facts met the burden of proof needed to declare a verdict of suicide.

She said: "A blood alcohol level was found which was likely to have had a significant effect on the mind.

"It is therefore not clear what his intentions were at the time he received his injuries."

Dr Carlyon returned an open verdict.