Bruton man Dennis Vinnell 'took his own life'

The inquest into the death of an elderly Bruton man found that he took his own life.

Dennis Vinnell was suffering from a degenerative illness and had been placed on mood medication, coroner Tony Williams explained.

On Sunday, September 9, 2012 his carer went to his home and was greeted by Mr Vinnell.

The smoke detector was going off and his clothes were charred black.

Mr Vinnell had set fire to himself.

He suffered serious burns and went into shock.

At the inquest into the death of Mr Vinnell, held at Shepton Register office on Tuesday, the coroner concluded that he had made a deliberate attempt to take his life.

The cause of death was heart failure.

Dennis Vinnell was a retired cheesemaker. The coroner's court heard he was born in 1927 and died at his home in Pitcombe, Bruton.