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A "homesick" former Gurkha, found hanging by his son at the family home, longed to return to his native Nepal prior to his death, an inquest has heard.

Gamar Gurung, 78, was discovered with two notes in his wallet, one which said no one was to blame for his death and the other blessing his family.

An inquest into Mr Gurung's death on Tuesday (October 3) heard how he felt "homesick" and had expressed desires to go back to Nepal before his death on July 24 this year.

Mr Gurung's son Kiran told the inquest of how he joined his parents for an early lunch at their home in Aldershot on the day of his father's death but said there was no suggestion "he was going to do what he did".

At around 3.30pm, Kiran woke from a sleep before his evening shift and found his mother in the kitchen of their Station Road home - but could not locate his father

Addressing the inquest at Basingstoke Coroner's Court , Kiran said: "He was fine [in the morning].

"There were no symptoms to suggest he was going to do what he did. We had an early lunch and he seemed happy.

"Mum said he might have gone out. At this point, there was a knock on the door and it was our neighbour, who then pointed to the bannister area.

"I turned and saw him hanging. He shad his Nepalese hat still on his head. I ran crying and shouting towards him.

"I was told by neighbours not to touch the body. I was crying and hysterical."

One of the family's relatives, who lived nearby, came around and called the emergency services, who quickly attended the scene.

Mr Gurung served in the British Gurkhas before his retirement in 1969 and worked as a farmer in Nepal before the family moved to the UK in 2010, with Kiran following them in 2016.

The Brigade of Gurkhas, which currently numbers more than 3,000 soldiers, has been a part of the British military for more than 200 years, with Aldershot long being its spiritual home and home to a substantial Nepalese community.

Kiran told the inquest his father had felt spells of dizziness and had also said he "couldn't manage everything in his life here", adding that he felt "homesick".

He had persuaded his father to stay in the UK as he himself had only recently arrived.

In a note recovered from a wallet in Mr Gurung's pocket and translated from Nepalese by police, he said his death "had to happen" and urged his son to "keep working hard".

The note added: "Look after mother well. Don't cry thinking about me. May my blessings reach my family."

A second note said "no one is to blame" and added "I hope no one has to live like this".

'It is a matter of great sadness and great shock'

A post-mortem investigation revealed hanging as the cause of death, with the inquest hearing there was "no significant natural disease" uncovered that could have contributed to his death.

Mr Gurung had previously taken blood pressure medication and doctors had suggested he may be suffering from diabetes.

Recording a verdict of suicide, Coroner Andrew Bradley said: "There is nothing else significant other than the hanging.

"It is singular that it is spontaneous and there was no prior indication of his difficulty, but the notes gave blessings to the family and are his departing message.

"My sympathies to the whole family. It is a matter of great sadness and great shock."

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