THE family of a soldier found dead at his army barracks months before he was set to serve in Iraq said they might never know why he died.

Private Mark Payne, 32, of 4 Logistic Support Regiment, was discovered dead in his room at Dalton Barracks, near Abingdon, on March 30.

An inquest on Thursday at Oxford Coroner’s Court heard Pte Payne had been looking forward to spending time with his three daughters over Easter before returning to Iraq in May, where he had already completed a tour of duty.

Coroner Nicholas Gardiner recorded an open verdict.

Afterwards, Pte Payne’s mother, Emily, 78, of Grimsby, said: “The family has been devastated by this. Mark was full of life and loved having fun. We are happy with the verdict as we do not believe he committed suicide.

“He was in good spirits when he spoke to me two days before he died and we have questions about what happened.”

Lieutenant Ewan Elder, Pte Payne’s troop commander, told the inquest he discovered the body at about 9.15am after becoming concerned he had not arrived for morning parade.

He said: “I decided to check his room and pushed the door open, but it felt like there was something behind the door. I pushed fairly hard and I saw Pte Payne slumped between the back of the door and the sink.

“I saw a lanyard tied around his neck. I was surprised when I found him as I had no cause to believe he would commit suicide.”

Pte Daniel Huxtable told the inquest he was the last person to see him alive.

He said: “On the Saturday before he died, I went to Mark’s room at midday and we played Playstation for about an hour. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. We were good friends and if he wanted to talk to me he could’ve.”

Pte Payne, originally from Grimsby, had been in the Army for 11 years. No suicide note was found and he had no history of mental illness, the inquest heard.

He had undergone an amicable separation from his wife and had not suffered post-traumatic stress after serving in Iraq previously.

Dr Ian Roberts, a pathologist at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, revealed Pte Payne’s injuries were consistent with hanging and he had been one-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit when he died.

Det Con David Evans, of Abingdon CID, was called in to investigate the incident and he told the inquest he believed Pte Payne had hanged himself on his door using the lanyard.

Coroner Mr Gardiner said: “I cannot say beyond all reasonable doubt he committed suicide.

“It does not mean I have any nasty suspicions, it is simply that the evidence is insufficient to record any other verdict.”

Nicola Wright, 39, one of Pte Payne’s nine siblings, said: “He spoke to our mum the Saturday before he died and he seemed happy and was looking forward to coming home, seeing his mum and his three daughters. He loved the Army, it made a man of him and we had no reason to believe he would take his own life