Professor Alan Clarke, 52, was discovered by his wife and neighbours in a blue and black rubber suit three hours after taking the family's dog for a walk

One of Britain's leading medical researchers was found dead in a rubber body suit in woodland in a bizarre sex fetish, an inquest heard today.

Professor Alan Clarke, 52, was discovered by his wife and neighbours in a blue and black rubber suit three hours after taking the family's dog for a walk.

Prof Clarke, director of the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute and the Cancer Research UK, was found dead in a hooded mask.

The hearing was told Prof Clarke's wife Kathryn and three neighbours went looking for him after he failed to return home from the dog walk.

The father-of-two was already dead hanging from the tree dressed in the rubber suit.

Neighbour Steven Rogers told the hearing that he helped search for Prof Clarke on December 28 last year in Llangeview, near Usk, Monmouthshire.

He said: 'Mrs Clarke came to my house anxious and upset and explained that her husband had gone out with the dog earlier that afternoon and had not returned.

'During the search I could hear the very distant sound of a dog barking.

'I followed the sound in the hope that it was Tess the family dog.

'Eventually we found the dog on the opposite side of a stream from where we were walking.

'When I reached her I looked around the area with the aid of a torch and I saw a man kneeling with his face down.

'His head was covered by a hood with holes in it for eyes and a mouth.

'He was wearing a thin blue jacket with leather-like trousers.

'I couldn't see his face clearly but I knew it was Alan and I knew he was dead.'

Prof Clarke, based at Cardiff University, was a renowned expert in cancer research specialising in bowel, breast and prostate illnesses.

Pathologist Ian Thompson gave the cause of death as asphyxiation by hanging.

Prof Clarke, director of the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute and the Cancer Research UK, was found dead in a hooded mask

Coroner David Bowen told the Newport hearing: 'In this case given the evidence the death of Mr Clarke was an attempt of some sort of sexual gratification that went wrong.'

Mr Bowen told the hearing there was evidence Prof Clarke started wearing the rubber outfit after his wife Kathryn was diagnosed with cancer.

He said: 'In recent years Kathryn was diagnosed with cancer and since she had been ill her husband had taken to wearing such an outfit.'

He added: 'There was nothing to suggest there was any third party involved in his death.'

He recorded a conclusion of misadventure.

The inquest heard he had been planning to take his family to the seaside the following day. His wife said he had never talked about committing suicide.

She said: 'He had too much to live for.'

Neighbour Steven Rogers told a hearing that Professor Clarke was found in woodland near his home in Llangeview (stock image)

After his death Professor Jim Murray, head of biosciences at Cardiff University, said: 'The sudden and untimely death of Professor Alan Clarke will be felt by all of us who knew him and the wider scientific community.

'He was an invaluable colleague, a patient and thoughtful mentor, and an outstanding scientist and leader. At this tragic time our thoughts are with his family, friends and close colleagues.'

Cardiff University chancellor Sir Martin Evans - a Nobel Prize winner for medicine - said: 'The sudden and untimely death of Alan Clarke has taken from us a friend, an eternally upbeat individualistic colleague and a superb scientist, teacher and leader.