A FATHER-of-two who pressed two cheques into his daughter's hand before waving her off for the day calmly walked in to his garden and shot himself.

Vincent Dolan had consulted his GP about mental health and psychiatric problems in the weeks leading up to his death on Friday, October 12.

But his family was shocked when they found his suicide note, Worcestershire Coroner Victor Round told an inquest in Stourbridge yesterday.

Reading from a statement made by coroner's officer Richard Boulter, Mr Round said the 42-year-old nursing home owner waved his wife Carol and their two daughters off from their home in Kinnersley, Severn Stoke, near Upton-upon-Severn, at 9.17am.

"His wife went to drop his youngest child off at nursery and took the other child to Worcester to work," said Mr Round, reading from a statement given by Det Sgt John Wallis, who arrived minutes after the body was found.

"The deceased waved them off as usual, but their daughter Amy mentioned to Carol that the deceased had given her two cheques made out to cash saying they would need money in the house.

"That worried her."

The three drove off and when Mrs Dolan returned home 40 minutes later, she found a suicide note on the kitchen table.

"It was dignified and affectionate but very clear," Mr Round added.

"Then immediately she began looking for him. She found the safe where his handgun was kept, it was empty."

Mrs Dolan arrived into the grounds of her home to find her husband slumped on the grass.

He had a gunshot wound to his head. The pistol was at his feet.

Mr Round said the police was satisfied there was no foul play, and recorded a verdict that Mr Dolan took his own life.