GREAT-GRANDFATHER ‘NEVER GOT OVER HARPER-LEE’S TRAGIC LOSS’
Retired bricklayer found dead by sons
A DOTING family man killed himself almost three months after losing his two-year-old great-granddaughter in a tragic accident.
Peter Nicklin was found hanged in his shed by his two sons, who had become concerned at not being able to locate him.
An inquest heard yesterday that the 79-year-old, of Ogden Road, Hanley, had no history of mental health issues and his death had been ‘totally unexpected’.
But Mr Nicklin had ‘not been himself’ ever since his greatgranddaughter Harper-lee Fanthorpe had died in May after swallowing a button-sized battery.
The toddler had been able to easily remove the battery from a remote control at her home and suffered fatal internal injuries.
Harper-lee’s mum Stacy has since teamed up with The Sentinel and Stoke-on-trent Central MP Jo Gideon to campaign for these tiny devices to be banned.
The inquest was told father-of-three Mr Nicklin, a retired bricklayer, had seemed fine when he was last seen alive by his son Carl.
In a statement, Carl said he had gone downstairs at 11pm on August 14. “I saw my father in the living room, watching the TV,” he said. “At 2am, I heard my father go down to the toilet. I slept all night and woke up at 2pm on August 15.
“At 2.30pm, my brother turned up and asked me where our father was as he couldn’t find him.”
Minutes later, one of them ventured into the shed and came across the deeply upsetting scene.
The pair carried their father into the house, where they placed him on the sofa and called 999. He was pronounced dead a short while later.
Carl said: “It just came as a massive shock to me.”
About a week earlier, Mr Nicklin had made a comment about wanting to harm himself. But Carl said he ‘didn’t believe him’ as it seemed so out of character.
The inquest was told several other matters may have been playing on his mind at the time, including his late wife Pauline’s birthday the following day.
Mr Nicklin had also sought medical treatment for ear problems, including tinnitus and an ear infection. He had been complaining of a buzzing in his ears since having a tooth extraction.
Nicknamed ‘The Beard’ by friends due to his big beard, he was a wellknown character in several Hanley pubs, including the Coachmaker’s. Mr Nicklin also had an allotment and would enter his fruit and vegetables into shows.
Speaking after his death, his son Darren told The Sentinel the loss of Harper-lee had hit him hard.
“You saw the change in him. He went from happy-go-lucky, one of the lads, to just not being himself,” he said. “The day after, he said ‘why didn’t they take me instead of her’.”
North Staffordshire assistant coroner Sarah Murphy recorded a conclusion of suicide.
She said: “I would like to express my sincerest condolences to the family for the tragic loss.”