A HEARTBROKEN Middlewich man took his own life just weeks after the sudden death of his wife, an inquest has heard.

Graham Wilson’s wife Margaret died unexpectedly of a heart attack on May 25, 2011, despite having no history of illness.

The pair had been together for 15 years.

Dr Janet Napier, deputy coroner for Cheshire, heard that Mrs Wilson’s death left the family in shock but Mr Wilson seemed to be coping.

His step-daughter Sharon Ingham said: “Under the circumstances he seemed to be bearing up quite well but we were concerned about him naturally.

“He was like the rest of us - in shock.”

Mr Wilson, a retired market trader of Sutton Lane, continued to see his friends every Saturday evening to play dominoes at The King’s Arms pub in Queen Street.

But on June 18, his friend Ronny Boyd, of Kitfield Avenue, said he was in a different frame of mind and wouldn’t buy rounds of drinks.

He added: “Ever since his wife died, sometimes he’d be on top and other times he’d be down in the dumps.”

At the end of the night, Mr Wilson walked Mr Boyd home and said he was looking forward to a trip to the Lake District in three days time.

But when Ms Ingham went to visit him on June 20, she found the front door was locked shut with the chain and she had to let herself in through the back door.

Mr Wilson, a former British Salt worker, was found dead in his bed with the order of service from his wife’s funeral next to him.

PC Louise Austin, of Middlewich police, told the court that white residue was found on the 56-year-old’s empty glass next to a bottle of whisky.

There were also several empty packets of amitriptyline tablets that he was taking due to severe back and chest pain.

Dr Napier recorded a verdict that Mr Wilson took his life while the balance of his mind was disturbed with the cause of death being amitriptyline toxicity.

“This is a terrible double shock for the family,” she said.

“Mr and Mrs Wilson had been together and were seemingly very happy for 15 years. They had a lovely life despite some health problems.

“Mr Wilson was up and down but nobody expected this. The family were all helping him.

“It does appear he crushed these tablets and took them with whisky.

“Unfortunately the level was twice the toxic dose so that was the definite cause of his death.”