Man killed himself after daughter’s wedding

A RETIRED police inspector who suffered from anxiety over public speaking jumped to his death from a motorway bridge the day after his daughter’s wedding, an inquest heard.

Grant Ardern, a father of three, is believed to have planned his own death for several weeks but waited until he saw India get married, a coroner was told.

Just hours after telling his wife how much he enjoyed the wedding day and describing it as “perfect”, the 60-year-old left his family home at 6am, dressed in his pyjamas, and drove to a bridge near his home in Warrington, Cheshire.

His body was found at the foot of the bridge after a passing motorist on the M6 spotted him falling. Inquiries revealed that, in the run-up his death on April 30, Mr Ardern, who worked as a community safety manager, was suffering from work-related anxiety that had worsened due to him having to speak at a public event.

His wife, Deborah, 56, a civilian coordinator for Cheshire Police, said: “He was so anxious because he wanted to do it, but didn’t want to upset us before the wedding.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, Claire Walsh, the coroner, said: “Mrs Ardern … believes that he was absolutely determined to do what he did but he was desperate for others and his family to not know. I am satisfied that he knew what he was doing.”