A RETIRED farmer from Wrexham who had been struggling with depression for months was found hanging by a neighbour, an inquest has heard.

Geoffrey Henry Done, 67, of Royton Cottages in Rossett, was described as being a very private person at the hearing and towards the end of his life, had been drinking lots of vodka.

John Gittins, coroner for North Wales (East and Central) told the hearing sitting at the Guildhall, Wrexham, how Mr Done had made a recovery from cancer several years ago, but after being given the all clear had found himself very much alone.

On the morning of December 16 last year, a neighbour of Mr Done’s found him in the carport of his home and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics just after 12pm.

The inquest had heard how Mr Done, who loved horse racing, had been seen by a registered mental health nurse at the beginning of November following an urgent referral by his GP, and despite admitting to being depressed and having occasional suicidal thoughts, was downgraded to routine as there was not considered to be an immediate suicide risk.

Mr Gittins said Mr Done’s two children had arranged for him to see a private counsellor as they believed he might have been willing to open up to someone who was independent and because of this, he had cancelled any further primary care help.

Reaching a conclusion of suicide, Mr Gittins said even though no note had been left my Mr Done, it was clear the act was undertaken with the intention of taking his own life.

In telling his children to remember all the good times they had experienced as a family, Mr Gittins said: “What strikes me very clearly is how much of an incredibly private person he was. I think it is likely, in someway, that he acted in the way he did to shelter you (his children) from what he was going through. However, you were there for him and there is nothing more you could have done.”