A LEOMINSTER painter and decorator gave no indication that he wanted to "leave this world," a shamanic counsellor has told a Hereford inquest.

Louise Pell, a practitioner with the Sacred Trust told coroner Mark Bricknell that 34-year-old Benjamin Reid, who died last May, was undertaking a six-week course during which she was helping to introduce him to “other realms”.

Mr Reid was discovered at his home in Hawthorn Place after failing to arrive at his parent’s home for Sunday lunch. His father, Philip, told the inquest that he later found his son lying on the floor.

A consultant pathologist later stated that Mr Reid had died as a result of asphyxia.

His father told the inquest: “Hand on heart, I know he didn’t intend to take his own life.”

He believed his son was trying to do something that went “horribly wrong”.

He was highly committed to his trade, said Mr Reid. “He would not have left a job unfinished,” he said.

“He had worked on the Saturday morning, he wanted to push on with a job he was doing.”

That night he visited his parents and arranged to see them for lunch the following day.

Mr Reid explained that the course he was taking with Ms Pell was “something he moved into”.

Ms Pell described to the coroner how the Sacred Trust course, based in Dorset, helped participants to experience other realms.

No drugs or physical methods were used in the process, she said.

“It enables people to travel to these worlds with their spirit guide,” she said.

“Ben would take the journey and return to this realm which is very important.

“He was a gentleman, courteous, punctual, with a very open mind. There was no indication he wanted to leave this world he lived in.”

Mr Bricknell ruled that the death was accidental.

“I am not satisfied that he did intend to take his own life,” he said.

“From the evidence here he was a caring young man who was due to see his parents again on the Sunday."