A doting great-grandad killed himself months after a toddler's tragic death.
Peter Nicklin took his own life in his shed and was found by his two sons, who had become concerned at not being able to locate him.
An inquest heard yesterday that the 79-year-old, of Ogden Road, Hanley, had no history of mental health issues and his death had been "totally unexpected".
But Peter's family said he had "not been himself" ever since his great-granddaughter Harper-Lee Fanthorpe died in May after swallowing a button-sized battery.
The toddler had been able to easily remove the battery from a remote control at her home and suffered fatal internal injuries.
Harper-Lee’s mum Stacy has since teamed up with StokeonTrent Live and Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Jo Gideon to campaign for these tiny devices to be banned.
The inquest was told that father-of-three Peter, a retired bricklayer, had seemed fine when he was last seen alive by his son Carl.
In a statement, Carl said he had gone downstairs at 11pm on August 14 to use the toilet.
He recalled: “I saw my father in the living room, watching the TV. At 2am, I heard my father go down to the toilet. I slept all night and woke up at 2pm on August 15.
“At 2.30pm, my brother turned up and asked me where our father was as he couldn’t find him.”
Minutes later, one of them ventured into the shed and came across the deeply upsetting scene. Peter was pronounced dead a short while later.
Carl said: “It just came as a massive shock to me.”
Around a week earlier, Peter had made a comment about wanting to harm himself, but Carl said he "didn’t believe him" as it seemed so out of character.
The inquest was told that a number of other matters may have been playing on his mind at the time, including his late wife Pauline’s birthday the following day.
Peter had also sought medical treatment for ear problems, including tinnitus and an ear infection. He had been complaining of a buzzing in his ears since having a tooth extraction.
Nicknamed ‘The Beard’ by friends, Peter was a well-known character in several Hanley pubs, including the Coachmaker’s.
He also had an allotment and would enter his fruit and vegetables into shows.
Speaking after his death, son Darren told StokeonTrentLive that the loss of Harper-Lee had hit him hard.
He explained: “You saw the change in him. He went from happy-go-lucky, one of the lads, to just not being himself.
“The day after, he said ‘why didn’t they take me instead of her’. He just couldn’t cope with it.”
North Staffordshire assistant coroner Sarah Murphy recorded a conclusion of suicide.
She said: “I would like to express my sincerest condolences to the family for the tragic loss.”
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