RUGBY league referee Chris Leatherbarrow took his own life, a coroner has concluded.
The rugby league community was thrown into shock and sadness after the sudden death of the 27-year-old on November 1 last year.
Mr Leatherbarrow had started his refereeing career in the North West Counties leagues as a teenager and rose to Super League level, with highlights including taking charge of a Northern Rail Cup Final and a Championship Grand Final.
Hundreds of mourners, including many rugby league personalities, packed Lowe House Church for his funeral service.
An inquest concluded that Mr Leatherbarrow’s death was a suicide caused by hanging in his Blackbrook home.
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