A gun collector who shot dead his “devoted” wife of 49 years before killing himself in a planned murder-suicide believed that she couldn’t live without him, an inquest heard.

Eric Angell, 71, killed his wife Pauline, 67, by shooting her twice in the head after leaving a sheet of personal passwords for his family to find in the house.

The retired couple, who married in 1972 and were “deeply in love”, were found dead metres apart at their home in Tankerville Drive, Leigh, on April 10 - a week after visiting family for Easter.

Eric, a treasurer at his local gun club who owned 25 firearms, used his “powerful” hunting handgun - a .357 Magnum - to shoot dead Pauline before turning the weapon on himself.

Their bodies went undiscovered for five days before a friend visited and found Eric dead, prompting them to call the emergency services.

Essex Coroners’ Court heard today (Mon) how Eric, a retired postman, felt like “half a man” after struggling with physical and mental illness since 2017.

Pauline’s sister, Faye Turner, told in a written statement of her shock at seeing Eric had lost weight and was feeling “anxious” in the days before the killing.

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Eric suffered from bouts of ill health since 2017, including a heart condition, digestive problems and constant nosebleeds.

A consequent operation had left him unable to enjoy cycling, which was one of his main hobbies.

He developed depression and symptoms of anxiety but didn’t want to inform his GP as he feared losing his firearms license, the inquest heard.

Yet in a letter to his GP a month before the killings he wrote: “I’ve lost all confidence and my mental health is suffering. I can’t go on living like this.

“If my digestion was sorted out I could live my normal life again. I hope you can help me out.”

Faye said that the pair were “happy in each other’s company” but added that Eric’s illnesses and the Covid lockdown worsened his health.

Faye wrote: “I think he [Eric] felt he was half the man he used to be.

“The time at home [during the lockdown] meant that he had time to dwell on his physical decline.

“When he was feeling really unwell he said to Pauline that he couldn’t go on as he was.

“He didn’t want to mention his anxiety to the GP as it could impact on his gun license and shooting was one of the things he was looking forward to getting back to.

“None of us had any idea as to what a dark place he was in.

“No one will ever know why Eric did what he did but I do know that he loved Pauline and that she loved him.

“I think that he may have felt that she wouldn’t have been able to cope without him but he give her no chance.

“My sister was fit and well. She was a resilient woman and I feel she would have found a way.

“This tragedy has devastated our family. I loved them both so much.”

Essex Police ruled out any third-party involvement in the deaths and found no signs of a struggle at the detached four-bedroom house.

Pauline was found wearing her nightgown with rollers in her hair and had been shot twice while sat in a chair in the lounge.

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Eric fired the fatal rounds by the doorway - around three metres away - before immediately shooting himself in the head.

A post-mortem found no traces of alcohol or drugs in either Eric or Pauline.

A sheet of passwords believed to be for bank accounts and other private matters was found by police.

Senior coroner Lincoln Brookes concluded that the couple were still “deeply in love” and that it was possible that Eric may have planned the killings with Pauline, who was a retired civil servant.

He noted that Eric and Pauline had dropped off Easter eggs as gifts for their family three days before the tragedy, which is believed to have happened on Monday, April 5.

Mr Brookes said: “It’s been felt that he [Eric] had planned this because he wanted to see his family before ending his life. This is a possibility.

“The key was left on the outside [of the front door] and I am inclined to agree this was a move from Eric to facilitate the arrival of emergency services.

“I’m not sure that what he did was impulsive. I think there was an element of planning with putting the key in the door and leaving out various passwords.

“I am sure that he was making a rational decision and doing it for the best. I have no reason to doubt the love that he had for Pauline but he didn’t give her a chance.

“It’s possible that both of them agreed on this course. He acted without malice and did what he thought was for the best. Whether he was right or wrong isn’t for me to judge.

Mr Brookes added: “They were married and still deeply in love with each other.

“Eric’s health changed for the worse from 2017. Consequent surgery mean that he couldn’t be as active as he would have liked.

“He was a shooting enthusiast and had as many as 25 arms in a specially constructed gun room, all kept in immaculate condition, but he hadn’t been able to shoot because of the restrictions from the pandemic and the various lockdowns.

“It seems to be that could have been a stressor on his life and well-being. He was notably anxious in the weeks leading up to his death.

“It seems likely that his mental health had been deteriorating in recent weeks and that was linked to the obvious deterioration in his physical health in recent years.

“This is in the context of an elderly couple stuck indoors during the lockdown. It’s said that Eric wasn’t coping well [with the lockdown].

Mr Brookes recorded Pauline’s death as unlawful killing and Eric’s death as suicide.

You can contact the Samaritans charity on 116123.