On the doormat of the house where father-of-two Paul Newman was discovered dead was a newly-delivered envelope containing his altered will ready for signing, an inquest heard.

Former computer company director Mr Newman, 52, of Minety, had been in the middle of divorce proceedings when he was discovered dead in his bed on December 15 by his former mistress Vicki Gower.

At an inquest in Devizes on Friday, Wiltshire coroner David Masters recorded an open verdict with post mortem examinations showing Mr Newman died from alcohol toxicity.

Attending the inquest was Mr Newman's brother Michael, aunt Catherine Kelly and Vicki Gower. On the opposite side of the room sat Mr Newman's wife Kate Henwood, of Cirencester.

Mr Masters said Mrs Gower, from Purton, had ended her 18-month relationship with Mr Newman in October but they remained friends and she still had a key to his house.

On December 15 Mrs Gower went to his house after becoming concerned that he wasn't answering his phone. She told the inquest: "I knew there was something wrong I heard from him almost every day and I hadn't."

On entering she found Mr Newman dead in his bed and called the police. A search was made of the house and an empty bottle of gin and vodka were found in the bin and a nearly empty bottle of malt whisky on the work top.

A letter addressed to his two sons was discovered on his computer as well as evidence that Mr Newman had searched the internet for sites giving advice on suicide.

But Mr Masters said the evidence neither allowed him to come to a verdict of suicide nor misadventure. "Despite all these factors Mr Newman was making plans for the future.

"Plans had been made for a holiday with his son and it had been arranged that he'd stay with a friend over Christmas," he said.

"He had learned that his relationship with Vicki Gower had come to an end and that she had taken on with someone else, but he always had the hope that he would regain her."

Mr Newman's brother told the inquest that he and his brother often had philosophical discussions and that it was during one of these that Mr Newman had raised the question of suicide.

He said: "We had a similar view of religion and the meaning of life. To Paul it was a reasonable decision to come to. He was talking about just methods and I didn't really take much notice at the time."

Referring to the will Mr Masters said there were "contested aspects dealing with property and financial matters" still to be resolved between Mr Newman and his wife.

Mr Masters said: "It seems that he had given instructions to his solicitor to prepare a new will that had arrived, only too late for him to sign it."

Speaking after the hearing Mr Newman's wife said she was pleased with the outcome and said: "It's what I wanted for the children."

But Mr Newman's brother Michael said: "I think I speak for us all when I say we had little doubt that Paul had intended to commit suicide.

"He wanted it to be recognised as a courageous act that had his full intent."