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A disabled man committed suicide by setting himself on fire after fearing that he faced a cut in his benefits, an inquest heard.

Peter Sherwood, 67, took his own life in front of horrified shoppers in a town centre.

The retired builder muttered the word “humanity” several times as he lay in agony on the ground.

He was flown by air ambulance to a specialist burns unit but died four days later.

Peter had a long history of recurrent depressive disorder and psychosis and had attempted suicide in the past.

Niece Sarah Wilby, 49, told the inquest that a change to his benefits had "contributed" to his heightened anger at the time of his death.

(Image: East Anglia News Service)

She said he had been on Disability Living Allowance but received a letter informing him he needed to reapply for Personal Independence Payment.

Speaking after the inquest Sarah said: "He believed that the Government was trying to take money off him.

"He seemed very worried about it because he thought he would lose money. He was always worried about money.

"He may have misread it and not focused on the bit about him being able to reapply."

Peter was visited at his home in Lowestoft, Suffolk, by a mental health team on September 4 last year.

He told how he planned to end his life and an urgent appointment was made for him to see a psychiatrist the following week.

But later the same day he set himself on fire in the street.

(Image: East Anglia News Service)

Members of the public put out the flames by throwing their jackets onto him and using a fire extinguisher from a shop.

However, Peter's burns were so severe that he could not be saved and he died in hospital several days later.

In a statement Sarah said she was “shocked” at the “drastic” way her uncle took his own life.

She added : “He seemed to want to make some kind of a statement, but I don’t know what.

“He was a loving person and had a great sense of humour. I loved him very much and miss him dreadfully.”

Suffolk coroner Dr Peter Dean said witnesses earlier saw Mr Sherwood spraying something on the pavement starting with the letter ‘h’ with an aerosol can.

Passer-by William Groves asked if he was a street artist to which he replied: “No, I am a suicide artist.”

The inquest heard that the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust had since updated its rules for when patients should be referred to the 24-hour crisis team.

Dr Dean recorded a conclusion of suicide.