A “proud and well-respected” gunsmith who feared he would lose his firearms licence sent a text to his wife before taking his life with one of his own weapons in woodland near his Great Missenden home, an inquest has heard.

Roger Hance, who was well-known in Bucks through his own successful gun business, sent a message to his wife Sandra on the afternoon of April 20 this year, saying: “Tell the police where to find me” and urging her not to go and look for him before he shot himself in Rook Wood, close to their Rignall Road home.

When she read it, she and her daughter Victoria rushed up to Rook Wood, where they first found his vehicle, then the 67-year-old’s body, and police were called.

Sandra, who Roger had been with for 33 years, told an inquest into her husband’s death at Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court on Wednesday that he was worried about an impending firearms inspection that was due to be carried out by Thames Valley Police.

She said: “He had been told about a new senior firearms inspector employed by Thames Valley Police. He had met him before at a show and he got the impression he would be going through all the paperwork with a fine toothcomb. We had heard he had given written warnings to people.

“Our paperwork was slightly untidy and he was worried we might have our licence revoked. I had never seen him like that before.”

The inspection had been due to take place in March but had to be rescheduled to April due to heavy snow.

When Sandra and her daughter discovered Roger’s body, they also found a note in his vehicle.

Sandra added: “The text message was the first indication that he was suicidal. The note was the second.”

DS Kerry Bradfield from Thames Valley Police, who was called to the scene at 3.30pm, said there were no lifesaving opportunities when they arrived.

She added that in his note, Roger had referred to him not feeling well and that he had concerns about the forthcoming firearms inspection.

A post-mortem examination found that Roger had died of a gunshot injury to the head.

Crispin Butler, senior coroner for Bucks, concluded that Roger’s death was as a result of suicide.