A 93-year-old who had led an “unusual and varied life” killed himself five years after his wife committed suicide.

An inquest in Ruthin heard that Edward Gorski never recovered from his wife Barbara’s death and his physical health also deteriorated.

The former soldier was found dead at his home in Kinmel Avenue, Abergele, on August 27 last year, having called his friend and gardener Christopher Davies to say: “By the time you get here I’ll be dead.”

Mr Gorski was found with his head in a partly-filled bath, but after a post-mortem examination consultant pathologist Dr Mohammad Mehdi gave the cause of death as submersion – not drowning – and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The cold water would have affected his condition.

In a statement read by Elizabeth Dudley-Jones, assistant coroner for North Wales East and Central, Mr Gorski’s son Brian outlined his father’s interesting life.

Born in Poland, Edward Gorski served in the Polish Army and later in the British Army, serving in Palestine and Germany.

He then held various managerial positions before retiring in 1980 and moving to Abergele.

Via a video-link Brian Gorski said his father enjoyed gardening and took a deep interest in military and Polish history.

Barbara Gorski took her own life in 2016 after suffering from depression, following which he became depressed and felt alone, but would not accept offers of help.

Both Christopher Davies and Brian Gorski said that although he had spoken several times of committing suicide they felt he was attention-seeking.

“I didn’t believe he would do it,” said Mr Davies.

Among the pensioner’s close friends was Iwowna Morajko and her husband, who are also Polish.

On the day of his death she received a message to go to his house. She could not understand why, but when she arrived she found him in the bathroom.

“He was a really lovely man, highly intelligent and had led a really interesting life,” said Mrs Morajko.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, the coroner said: “I have been struck by his fascinating, unusual and varied life.”