Tragedy as 'devoted' couple from Sheffield end their own lives together in Whitby
The bodies of a ‘devoted’ elderly couple from Sheffield were found at the foot of cliffs in Whitby Abbey, an inquest heard.
David and Susan Jeffcock had sent a letter to their solicitor confirming they intended to end their lives before their bodies were tragically found togethe on July 30 .
An inquest in Northallerton heard Mr Jeffcock, aged 80, and Mrs Jeffcock, 74, had moved to the North Yorkshire seaside town after they retired.
They were originally from Sheffield.
Mr Jeffcock's nephew Kevin Shepherd said his uncle had bone cancer and must have decided to kill himself because he was in pain, with Susan following him.
In a statement read at the inquest, Mr Shepherd said: "I was shocked to hear of their passing and in such circumstances.
"I can only conclude he was in so much pain he didn't want to keep deteriorating."
Mr Shepherd described the couple as ‘devoted’ to one another.
He said Mr Jeffcock was ‘a lovely man who lived a good life’, growing up in Sheffield and moving to Australia as a '10-pound pom,' before meeting and marrying Susan - ‘the love of his life’ when he returned.
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Mr Shepherd said the couple decided not to have children and ‘lived well together’, travelling the world on their holidays.
He said Mr Jeffcock worked as a taxi driver for many years and Mrs Jeffcock was a secretary at Stanley Tools.
The inquest heard the couple spent much of their life together in Sheffield but dreamed of retiring to a coastal town and ultimately moved to Whitby, one of their favourite places, in a flat above the harbour.
A statement from PC James Turner said that on July 30 a member of the public found their bodies.
Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
The hearing was told that Mr Jeffcock had been to A&E three times so far that year, including for acute onset headaches and shortness of breath.
A police investigation found that Mr Jeffcock's health had deteriorated, and the couple had sent a letter to their solicitor saying they planned to end their lives.
Senior North Yorkshire coroner Jonathan Leach said the couple had no history of mental health issues but that Mr Jeffcock had some physical health problems.
He recorded a conclusion of suicide for both Mr and Mrs Jeffcock.