Inquest hears sheep farmer drowned after deliberately crashing Land Rover

Mr Busby’s GP told the coroner his patient had no history of mental health and was ’normally fit and well’.

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Friends and family had also been in contact with Mr Busby in the days before the incident but had no serious concerns about his welfare.

Recording a narrative verdict, coroner John Broadbridge said a suicide verdict could not be recorded as it could not be said for certain whether Mr Busby had ended up in the stream intentionally or accidentally.

"I find the action with his vehicle was intentional, and that it is clear that he survived the fall and got out of the vehicle," Mr Broadbridge said.

"He was upset by a major life change that had disturbed him, and left a note apologising, though there was no addressee.

“It seems his intention was to turn off the road and it may be that he expected to suffer fatal injury.

"He was alive when he entered the stream. He could have stayed near the vehicle, so there is a question of whether this was an ongoing attempt to end his life, or accidental.”