A GRIEVING Weymouth lorry driver died from an overdose of medication weeks after his wife passed away, an inquest was told.

Police were called to the home of 48-year-old Nicholas Ian Davies in Lea Road on March 6 after neighbours raised concern for his welfare.

PC Simon Anderson told an inquest at County Hall in Dorchester that when he arrived he could see Mr Davies through the window sitting on the sofa motionless and he appeared ‘ashen’.

The officer said: “He did not respond to banging on the window and shouts through the window.”

PC Anderson said he entered the property through an unlocked rear door and discovered Mr Davies was clearly deceased.

Pathologist Dr Mark Deverell said in a statement that analysis of Mr Davies blood showed high levels of Tramadol and morphine consistent with an overdose. He recorded the cause of death as opiate toxicity.

A statement from Jo Jury, a social worker with the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust, was read at the inquest. She said she had been in contact with Mr Davies since last year as his wife Dawn had been ill and received treatment at the hospice.

Mrs Jury said Mrs Davies had passed away on January 28 and, while she had offered support to Mr Davies, the last time she had seen him was at his wife’s funeral on February 14.

Dorset Coroner Sheriff Payne said: “I sadly have to record that he did take his own life.”