POPULAR musician and scout leader Rob Bawdon took his own life, an inquest ruled today.

Mr Bawdon's died from a gunshot wound to the head, and his body was found at Hengistbury Head on August 13.

The inquest heard how Mr Bawdon was upset at having lost his job at Budden's Scout Centre and may have had issues in his relationship.

His former girlfriend Fiona Ball said she exchanged phone calls and text messages with Rob the night before he took his own life, but that the conversation ended happily.

In a statement at the inquest she said: “I asked if we should end the relationship, even though this was the last thing I wanted, but I was not happy with things that day.

"He reassured me he loved me as much as when he first fell for me.

“At no time did he ever make any suggestion he would harm himself in any way.”

Mr Bawdon's had lost his job as Operations Manager at Budden's Farm Scout Centre in March 2013 after his one-year-contract ended.

His mother Stephanie said: “This left a nasty taste in the mouth and really upset him as he was only given 48 hours to leave the accommodation.

"He had a number of balls in the air and said he was on the point of finishing his relationship.”

Hundreds of people paid tribute to Mr Bawdon, who was a leader of the 47th Braggers Wood Explorers, part of the Christchurch District Explorers, as well as a member of popular band Lady Winwoods Maggot.

Stephanie said: “More than 100 people from his Tesco branch where he worked wanted to come to the funeral and wonderful tributes were left on the Facebook page.”

Coroner Sheriff Payne said: “He took a gun from the cupboard at home, left a suicide note and used the gun on himself. There was no going back from this fatal and final act.”