Police launched a full-scale search and discovered the body early the following morning four miles from the family home in a car park at Herongate Athletic Football Club.

A note was found addressed to his wife, Sharon, with whom he lived at the family's home in Shenfield, Essex.

Coroner Mrs Caroline Beasley-Murray said there were no suspicious circumstances and recorded a verdict of suicide at an inquest held in Chelmsford, Essex.

She said: "It is patently clear from what Mr Dymond expressed in the note that he was suffering extreme anxiety about work-related matters."

Mr Dymond is believed to have been heavily involved in the transfer of responsibility and power for bank regulation from the Financial Services Authority to the Bank of England in the weeks leading up to his death in his role managing IT services.

His colleagues at the Bank of England released a tribute at the time of his death saying: "Chris Dymond was a highly valued colleague to all those that worked with him.

"He was extremely well known and a popular member of staff. He will be very much missed here at the bank. Our sympathies and thoughts are with his family at this difficult time."