A pensioner committed suicide because he could not cope with caring for his mentally disabled wife, an inquest heard.

Only two weeks later, Jessie Cox, 68, who also had severe heart problems, died of heart failure.

Mrs Cox suffered bi-polar disorder and severe coronary artery disease. She was cared for by her husband Reginald, 74.

An inquest at Bradford Coroner’s Court was told yesterday that the couple’s son, Brendan Cox, was staying with them at the start of this year at their home in Halifax Road, Cullingworth.

In a statement, Brendan Cox said he heard his parents talking quietly on April 17. He then heard his father go to the family’s caravan which was parked outside.

Early the next morning he heard his father making sounds “like a cross between snoring and choking”.

Mr Cox was unconscious in bed. After finding empty blister packets in the caravan, Brendan Cox concluded his father had overdosed on his wife’s medication.

In his statement, Mr Cox said: “When I found him my mother was watching TV, oblivious to anything and everything.”

Mr Cox briefly regained consciousness in hospital.

His son said in his statement: “I asked him why he’d done this and he said ‘I’ve had enough’.”

His father’s condition deteriorated and he died on April 25.

Mr Cox had left a short but emotional note to his wife, the hearing was told.

Coroner Roger Whittaker recorded a verdict that he had taken his own life.

Mrs Cox, who was born in Shipley, died of multi-organ failure due to underlying ischaemic heart disease on May 11.

She had a fall on May 5 and fractured her femur. She sustained an infection and her condition worsened and she later died in hospital.

Dr Karen Ramsden, who carried out the post-mortem, said that with her severe heart problems she could have died at any time. Mr Whittaker said: “I don’t believe the fall altered the situation and I record she died of natural causes.”