AN Ainsworth man, depressed following his mother's death, shot himself despite attempts to stop him, an inquest heard.

Minutes before 41-year-old Carl Shepherd's death, his sister's fiance had tried to wrestle the gun away from him.

Mr Shepherd, a self-employed gardener, died from a head injury caused by the shotgun wound.

The incident happened in July at Plane Tree Farm, off Bradley Fold Road, which Mr Shepherd shared with his sister and elderly father.

An inquest in Bury on Wednesday (Oct 10) heard that his mother had died after suffering a stroke in April and that Mr Shepherd had become depressed. Hours before his death, he had been drinking in a pub. On his return home, he was upset to discover that cases which had previously been in his mother's bedroom had been moved to a hallway.

His sister, Mrs Anne Barlow, said her brother became agitated and she tried to reason with him, telling him that "life must go on".

Mr Shepherd then went upstairs to his bedroom and the discussions continued between him, Mrs Barlow and her fiance, Mr Ronald Stouph.

The inquest was told Mr Shepherd then unlocked a gun cabinet in his room and removed a single-barrel shotgun which was in the broken position.

Mr Stouph attempted to grab the weapon but after a struggle fell backwards.

Mr Shepherd was then left alone in his bedroom and said words to the effect that life wasn't worth living.

As Mrs Barlow continued to try to reason with her brother outside his door, the shotgun was suddenly discharged.

Recording a verdict of suicide, coroner Mr Barrie Williams referred to the sudden death of Mr Shepherd's mother.

"This had led to considerable depression in him. He had an argument over the suitcases and clearly resented what had happened.

"Although outwardly this was not a serious matter, it seemed to be the catalyst for a sudden change of mood."