A heartbroken widower hanged himself from a tree after struggling to come to terms with the death of his wife, an inquest heard today. 

The body of John O'Halloran, from Beaconsfield, was found by police after his daughter, Lucy, raised the alarm when she could not contact him.

When she went to his house on Chacombe Place, she discovered letters addressed to her and her brother Oliver and another note for the authorities, indicating where to look for him.

A police helicopter was scrambled and the 63-year-old's lifeless body was found deep in woodland near his home hanging from the branch of a tree.

The inquest heard the former managing director of a property company had suffered with depression since 2012, shortly after his wife Linda died.

Detective Constable Robert Gibson, from Thames Valley Police, told the coroner: "The note to the authorities said he had suffered since the death of his wife in 2012 and stated his intention to carry out an act.

"The police helicopter detected a heat source in the woodland and guided officers into the area, who found him hanging from a tree.

"It was off the beaten track and in a secluded area of the woods. There was an empty bottle of whiskey and prescription tablets in his pockets, as well as a rucksack which contained a mobile phone and a note with his name and address."

The coroner sitting at Beaconsfield Coroner's Court, heard that the father-of-two was on medication for depression following the death of his wife, who worked as a teacher.

The widower was found at around 9pm on March 7.

Buckinghamshire coroner Richard Hulett said: "Nothing about this suggests anything other than a deliberate act, which seemed to be quite clearly thought through.

"This seems to be very organised. His explanation seems to be that he never recovered from his loss and despite the medication, he never got over it."

His son Oliver said: "From the turn of the year onwards, he was in a very bad way. I do not think he dealt with the loss of my mum until then. It is just very sad."

Recording a suicide verdict, Mr Hulett said: The cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging. I'm afraid there is nothing more I can say."