A PENSIONER killed himself after being told he would have to have his leg amputated, an inquest has heard.

Retired trader Terrence Rogers, 66, from Llanelly Hill, near Abergavenny was found dead in his car on July 8 earlier this year.

The coroners' court in Newport was told that around 12 months before his death he suffered a mild stroke.

His son Marcus told the court, "He did have some mobility problems but he fell over and had problems with his knee. He used to attend Nevill Hall Hospital.

"He could still get about but in the end he had a walking frame. Before the stroke and the injury he was a very active person. The problems had an effect on his day to day life."

The court heard that Mr Rogers was depressed during the last ten days of his life.

His son said, "He went to Nevill Hall a week before he died for an operation to replace his veins with plastic tubing. When the doctors went to remove his veins they realised he could not straighten his leg. They said they would have to amputate it and he was shocked. He asked for a night to go home and think about it. He said to me that he would rather take his own life than have his leg off."

He visited Nevill Hall hospital in Abergavenny for the procedure to alleviate pain in his leg.

His son told the court, "That's the last time I saw him alive. When he said that he would rather take his own life I thought he was just in a state of shock."

Ioan Williams told the inquest he was driving with his girlfriend from Abergavenny along the Pwll Du mountain road in the direction of Blaenavon when he spotted an abandoned burgundy car.

On closer inspection, Mr Williams said he saw a man sitting in the driver's seat, seemingly asleep. When he failed to wake him, Mr Williams realised he was dead and called the emergency services. He said there was a bottle of rat poison in the passenger seat and a piece of blue rope around the man's neck, attached to a barrier.

Deputy coroner for Gwent, Wendy James told the court that a post mortem revealed that Mr Rogers died as a result of pressure on the neck by a ligature. There was no toxins found in his blood.

She said, "It is apparent that Mr Rogers' life had changed dramatically as a result of the injury he had suffered to his knee.

"I have no doubt the news that Mr Rogers had been given by doctors shortly before his death that his leg had to be amputated had a severe affect on his mental well-being.

"I have no doubt that Mr Rogers was feeling very desperate about his failing health and the prospect of having his leg amputated was just too much to bear. It was a bolt out of the blue. I have no doubt that Mr Rogers' actions were both deliberate and intentional.

"Consequently, there is only one verdict I can return in these circumstances and that is that Mr Rogers killed himself whilst depressed."