A SWINDON man who struggled to get over the loss of his young daughter took his own life, an inquest heard.

Peter Bridgman of Beech Avenue, Pinehurst, killed himself almost 10 years to the day his 12-year-old little girl tragically died from a severe form of diabetes.

Michelle had been ill for about 10 months before she died suddenly at home.

His ex-wife Debra paid tribute to her late husband of six years.

“Peter and I had 30 years of being best mates and 12 years with our daughter Michelle,” she said.

“I hope they are together - I miss them so much.

“We had a special bond and no-one can take that away from us.”

Debra’s sister Julie Kellett from Pinehurst, added: “Everyone liked Peter. He had time for everyone except himself.

“He seemed like a lost soul.

“I’ve heard that friends saw him at his daughter’s grave at Whitworth Road Cemetery days before he died.”

Peter, 45, was found hanged at the derelict Coxhill Farm in Purton by two passing joggers at 8.45am on November 25 last year.

Michelle’s 10-year anniversary was the following day.

An inquest into his death at the Civic Offices on Wednesday heard how Peter was reported missing the week before he died.

Peter left his front door key with his landlady Sue Vernon, with whom he had stayed for 16 months. After she became concerned for his safety she reported him missing to police.

“He was a bit of a worrier,” said Sue, who had known Peter for six years.

“He never got over his marriage and the loss of his daughter ripped his life apart.”

He had been to see his GP about depression but there was no recorded history of mental health or psychological distress.

There was no suicide note and it remains a mystery how he got to the farm as there was no car and his white trainers were unmarked despite there having been heavy rain in the area during the week before his death.

Doctor Darko Lazic conducted the post-mortem examination at the Great Western Hospital and concluded Peter died of compression to his neck structure by ligature.

There was some evidence of cannabis use from a sample of his urine but no evidence to suggest he had misused prescription drugs.

PC Steve Burson, based in Wootton Bassett, was called out to the farm last year.

He said there was no suspicion of third party involvement in Peter’s death.

Wiltshire Deputy Coroner Peter Hatvany said the timing of the death was too much of a coincidence to suggest it was anything other than suicide.

“There was a specific intention to do it,” he said.

“I record that he took his own life.”