AN EX-LIGHTHOUSE keeper took a massive overdose of his girlfriend's methadone prescription to kill himself, an inquest heard.

Tragic Ian McIntyre was never able to come to terms with his former wife's death - and decided to take his own life.

Mr McIntyre, a lighthouse keeper for more than 12 years, had recently moved back to his native area and worked as a baker.

He was originally from Kingswood Grove, Acomb, York, and went to Lowfield School. At the time of his death he was living in The Crescent, Helmsley.

Mr McIntyre, 45, had started a "stormy" relationship with recovering drug user Vanya Thrower, but just days before his death, he confessed to his mother, Doreen, he was "so lonely".

Soon after that, on October 8, 2005, his housemate, Francis Adamson, found him dead.

Mr Adamson told the inquest into Mr McIntyre's death: "I poked my head round the door the night before his death.

"He was snoring away, half-on, half-off the bed. He was holding two large bread knives in his hand. I took the knives off him and put them on the side so he didn't harm himself."

The next morning staff at the Royal Oak Hotel in Helmsley, where Mr McIntyre worked part-time, phoned to ask why he was not at work.

Mr Adamson said: "I told the person on the phone I would wake him up, and then I went in and saw him. He was a grey-green colour. I checked for a pulse, and without a doubt he was dead."

Mr Adamson later found four empty methadone bottles belonging to Ms Thrower in the kitchen bin. They had been full the night before. A post-mortem established Mr McIntyre died of a fatal methadone overdose.

The Evening Press reported in October how Mr McIntyre's mother, Doreen, believed her son had never recovered from the death of his wife, Sue, just months after their marriage.

Mrs McIntyre, 75, told the inquest: "I went to see him the Thursday before he died - he was drunk and I was very angry.

"I cooked him a meal and he cried. I had never seem him cry like that. He said he was so lonely, and he missed Sue. He did have other girlfriends, but they didn't seem to measure up to Sue. I thi-nk he meant to kill himself. I always had a fear that he may do it. He grieved a lot, and he was so deeply upset."

North Yorkshire east area coroner Michael Oakley said all the evidence pointed to Mr McIntyre having taken his own life. He returned a verdict of suicide.

Updated: 10:22 Tuesday, January 10, 2006