A WIDOWER hanged himself after failing to come to terms with the death of his wife, an inquest heard.

Alan Hayes "found it really difficult" after his wife Pamela died in 2010, the inquest at High Wycombe Law Courts heard.

The 65-year-old retired HGV driver then took his own life on January 21 this year, five months after a previous suicide attempt.

He had been expected to meet his daughter Samantha and her partner Brendan Lally for dinner that evening, but when he failed to arrive his family became concerned.

Mr Lally told the inquest: "We hadn't heard from him by six so I went round to his house as I knew he had attempted suicide once before.

"I knew something was wrong. The curtains were open, no lights were on and the car was on the driveway."

He searched the ground floor of the property, in Howard Road, Chesham, and was halfway up the stairs when he found Mr Hayes hanging from the loft space at the top.

A note was left in an upstairs room but Mr Lally didn't see it as he went no further than halfway up the stairs after seeing Mr Hayes' body.

Mr Lally added Mr Hayes had attempted suicide five months previously and he had "kept an eye on him" in case he tried it again.

Low levels of temazepam - which he had been prescribed due to suffering from depression - were found in his body but the inquest heard this was simply a reflection of the fact he had been taking his medication.

Coroner Richard Hulett recorded a verdict of suicide.