A RETIRED teacher in failing health took his own life, an inquest has ruled.

A neighbour who spotted Martin Leech's lifeless body over the fence initially believed it to be a mannequin.

But when the neighbour saw blood beside the body of Mr Leech, 68, he called the police.

When police arrived on the scene in Malvern Court, Yeovil, they discovered Mr Leech's garden gate locked.

Officers found notes inside his home that revealed the former teacher had been finding life difficult with his physical health suffering.

A post mortem said he died from a significant bleed from an incision in his right forearm.

The senior Somerset coroner Tony Williams recorded a suicide conclusion and said the single retired teacher had picked a location where he would not be disturbed.

Mr Williams added: "On the balance of probabilities he died by his own hand.

"He deliberately self inflicted the laceration to his right forearm with the intention of ending his life."

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