A Deeping St Nicholas man deliberately walked out in front of a lorry to end his life on Christmas Eve, an inquest into his death has concluded.
Nigel Varley died after receiving multiple injuries from the incident which occurred outside the home he shared with his sister Caroline on Main Road.
She formally identified the 54-year-old later that day.
The incident occurred around 11.10am last year.
The inquest heard the lorry driver had driven the route “thousands of times” and was on her third delivery of the day of sugar beet after starting work at 4.30am.
In a statement to the hearing, the woman said: “I saw a man on the side of the road about ten metres away and I saw water in the guttering of the road, so I edged away so the pedestrian wouldn’t be soaked by my lorry.
“He was quite a large gentleman coming towards me and he seemed to shuffling rather than walking.
“He looked up at me, which I thought was strange, so I edged away.
“Then, suddenly, he walked across me.
“I heard a loud noise which I now know was him hitting my lorry.”
A witnesses, who also wasn’t named, said in a statement to the hearing: “He (Mr Varley) just seemed to wander into the road.
“Everything happened so quickly. The lorry driver had no chance.”
Mr Varley was pronounced dead at the scene.
The inquest heard he had struggled with some health issues including chest infections and acid reflux.
A toxicology report heard that there was evidence of traces of codeine and paracetamol in his body when he died, but no evidence of any other drugs.
Police said the lorry driver had tested negative for drink and drugs and was doing 47mph at the time of the collision.
There were also no mechanical issues with her lorry.
The inquest was told police had found a note inside the house, but coroner Lindsay Tasker said it appeared to be unfinished, possibly because Mr Varley had run out of ink.
There was no mention in the hearing of any past history of mental health, nor were there any references as to why Mr Varley might have wanted to have end his life.
There were also no family statements other than from his sister confirming she’d identified his body.
Ms Tasker concluded a verdict of suicide.
“No-one else was seen in the vicinity,” she said, noting his look to the lorry driver. “Mr Varley walked in front of the lorry and the driver was unable to stop.
“On the balance of probability I’m satisfied that this was a deliberate act to take his own life.”
