FARMER Bob Griffiths, who had suffered with long-term depression, has been found dead with a gunshot wound.

It's believed the father-of-two, who would have been 40 on Saturday, took his own life.

He was born near Chippenham where he went to school before going to the former Lackham College of Agriculture, now Wiltshire College.

He ran farms in Woodborough and Manningford and it was at the latter that his body was discovered in a shed on Monday.

Mr Griffiths, who lived at Church Farm in Woodborough, had been married for 15 years and had two children, Peter, ten, and Louise, eight.

His death was a second blow for his widow, Liz, whose father John Waite, who had farmed in the Pewsey Vale all his life, died last year.

Police are investigating the tragedy and the Wiltshire coroner David Masters was due to open an inquest yesterday afternoon.

Mrs Griffiths said her husband had suffered with depression for a considerable time, although he only sought medical help last year.