A nurse killed himself by taking more than 300 times the recommended dose of an over-the-counter energy pill.

Stephen James, 39, of Buckingham Road, Brighton, swallowed packets of Pro Plus tablets, which are sold in supermarkets and chemists as a pick-me-up to relieve temporary tiredness, an inquest was told.

Blood tests taken at a post-mortem examination revealed a fatal level of caffeine, the active ingredient in the pills.

The inquest heard how the level measured was the highest recorded dose of Pro Plus.

The hearing in Brighton was told work colleagues at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton, alerted police after becoming increasingly worried about Mr James, who had suffered from depression in the past.

He had called in sick and then made no further contact with the hospital for several days. Colleagues contacted the police after attempts to get him to answer his door and his phone failed.

Police broke into his flat and found his body on his bed. There were several packets of Pro Plus in his room. It is believed he had been dead for at least 24 hours.

Photographs of his ex-wife were lying in on the floor.

There were also about four bowls full of cat food, which would have kept his pet fed for days.

The inquest heard how days before his death in September The Guardian newspaper, which he read, had published an article about a student in Cardiff who had died after taking an overdose of Pro Plus.

Friends and work colleagues told the hearing Mr James had been feeling despondent following the death of his brother earlier this year and he was also getting divorced.

But he had not given any indication he felt suicidal and had recently been happy to get promotion at work.

Brighton and Hove Coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley recorded a verdict of suicide.

The coroner described Mr James as a clearly well-loved man but said she had no doubt he intended to kill himself.

She said: "What I have here is a man who has taken the highest recorded dose of Pro Plus. He is a nurse and he knows the effect of caffeine and he only had to read one of the many packets to know it should not be taken to excess."