Ref. 29393-32POPULAR Peter Tyas struggled to cope with life on civvy street after leaving the RAF, but did not intend to kill himself after overdosing on antidepressants, a coroner heard.

An inquest was told Mr Tyas died after taking 14 tablets of the antidepressant dothiepin and his fiancee Carol Tyas speaking for the first time about the death of the man she was due to marry said it was a tragic accident that happened because he was deeply confused.

Yesterday, Wiltshire and Swindon assistant deputy coroner, Nigel Brookes, recorded a verdict of death by misadventure on Mr Tyas, who died in August last year at the age of 53.

Carol Tyas was formerly called Phillips but changed her name by deed poll at Christmas.

Mr Tyas spent 28 years in the RAF before leaving in 1994. He had been a warrant officer stationed at RAF Lyneham.

He died just six weeks before he was due to marry Carol, 53, in a ceremony on his favourite island, Rhodes.

The night before his death, Mr Tyas, who ran the Hollywood Nites internet caf in Cambria Bridge Road, had taken Carol for a drink and declared to regulars at The Grapes pub how much he loved her and how they were soon going to be married.

Carol told how he said she was the best thing that ever happened in his life, apart from his two daughters being born.

She said: "He came in and went to bed he was absolutely worn out. Pete never settled after coming out of the RAF and could not accept the way civvies lived.

"He was on antidepressants and very often he would dose up to make sure he slept.

"He was confused, an insomniac, liked a drink and had lost a hell of lot of weight."

Mr Tyas got up and opened the internet caf as usual, but returned to his house in Albion Street mid-morning and went to bed after taking the tablets.

Soon afterwards, Carol received a call from Peter who said 'Get home I'm bad'.

Paramedics arrived and took him to the Great Western Hospital, but by the time he arrived he was unconscious and his heart had failed.

"The last contact I had with him was when I tweaked his toes in the back of the ambulance," said Carol.

"We met when I was working at a leisure centre bar in Gwent. He was a happy, jolly character who was always game for a bit of fun.

"The inquest was important for me. He was a good person and I know it wasn't suicide he didn't know what he was doing, he just wanted help but it came too late.

"It was a tragic accident and I will miss him for the rest of my life."

Mr Tyas' daughters Lorraine, 32, and Sharon, 29, accompanied Carol to the inquest.

In August Mr Tyas was laid to rest with full military honours after a funeral service at St Mark's Church, attended by 200 friends, family and former colleagues.

Two RAF Hercules planes roared low overhead as a final mark of respect.

Giles Sheldrick