A Wiltshire builder who had a ‘cheeky’ personality and a good sense of humour was found dead in his garden with a severed hand in Chippenham.

Kevin Mayo, who was known to his friends and family as Kev, died on Wednesday, August 9 last year at his home in Chepstow Close.

His partner Stacey Thomas, who discovered the 60-year-old's body when she came home from work, said he was "a cheeky man” who “had a sense of humour about him and liked playing practical jokes”.

The couple met in 1986 at a Wiltshire pub when they were just 16, and despite going their separate ways for 32 years, reunited in 2021 and built a life together.

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Wiltshire Times: Kevin had been receiving support from the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership in the months leading up to his deathKevin had been receiving support from the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership in the months leading up to his death (Image: Newsquest)

An inquest into his death at Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner's Court on Tuesday, April 30 heard that he had sustained a severe injury to his hand leaving it severed.

The court heard that Kevin had a history of mental health struggles which were exacerbated by financial and work stresses.

He was taken under the care of the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership in 2023 after reporting a downturn in his mood.

He also spent some time in a mental health crisis home in Wiltshire following a suicide attempt in July and he was taken to hospital.

Graeme Green, from the mental health partnership, said: "On the last assessment, there were comments of thoughts of suicide, but no plans to carry those out.

“He was engaging with support and his partner commented at that time that she felt he was slowly improving."

Wiltshire Times: The inquest was concluded at Wiltshire and Swindon's Coroner's Court on April 30, 2024.The inquest was concluded at Wiltshire and Swindon's Coroner's Court on April 30, 2024. (Image: Newsquest)

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On the morning of his death Kevin woke up, fed the dog and made a coffee for his partner before waving her off to work with a “see you later.”

Kevin had been due to attend a scheduled appointment with the mental health team on the same day.

Concluding the inquest, senior coroner David Ridley, ruled the death was a suicide.

He said: “Kevin died from an act inflicted by himself. Quite what has led to that extreme action only Kev can answer that, but given the mode it does lead me to conclude that he wanted to end his own life.

“Kev reached a point where he couldn’t see any way out.”