A WYTHALL man hinted to his family he was going to commit suicide while they ate their Sunday lunch days vefore dying from an overdose of drugs and alcohol, an inquest heard, writes Julian Seva.

Car body builder Ronald Edgar Pailing, 56, of Station Road, was found on a kitchen floor by his wife Sara, 44, on November 30, five days after she announced her intention to separate.

Worcestershire coroner Victor Round told how Mr Pailing, who would traditionally cook a Sunday dinner, said: "Anyway, it's the last meal I shall ever cook."

At the time Mrs Pailing and her daughter did not infer anything from the comment but on returning from work four days later she found her dead husband and a note.

Mr Pailing was said to have an alcohol problem and a history of depression stretching back to 1984.

A post mortem found he had swallowed anti depressants, paracetamol and alcohol.

Mr Round said there were no individual fatal doses but in combination with each other and the alcohol they formed a lethal cocktail.

More pills were also found scattered near the body.

Mr Pailing raised the issue of the separation on Monday 27 November but referring to the comment made to his wife and daughter over dinner Mr Round said: "Neither of them grasped what that meant at the time."

He recorded a verdict of suicide.