A FARM worker who may have been affected by the death of his sister’s partner took his own life, an inquest has been told.

Alun Alban Rees, aged 69, from Henllan, Llandysul, was found hanged in the milking parlour of the farm where he worked.

Mr Rees’s sister Dilwen told the inquest at Aberystwyth Justice Centre that she had last seen her brother on the morning of October 2 when he had gone out to work.

“He looked how he normally did and there was no cause for concern,” she told the inquest.

“I was going to see my sister in Glangwili Hospital and it was the last I saw of him.

“Mervyn Lewis, my partner, had died in July and this had hit Alun hard. They were very close and Alun found it difficult as he had seen him suffer. That is what I am putting it down to.

“We asked him how he was feeling and he said he was feeling much happier. I thought he was getting over the death of Mr Lewis.”

The inquest heard there was no note left and that Mr Rees had never spoken of taking his own life. He had suffered with back pain and stomach pain, for which he was taking medication but there was no medical history of mental health issues.

Ceredigion coroner Peter Brunton said from the evidence he had seen he was in no doubt that Mr Rees intended to take his own life and he recorded a verdict of suicide.

He offered his profound sympathy to Miss Rees. “It must have been a double tragedy for you,” he added.

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