A DEPRESSED Falklands war veteran took his life by inhaling the fumes from several disposable barbecues at his Valleys home, an inquest heard yesterday.

David Welch, 40, of Abertillery, sealed up the bathroom door of his Earl Street home to stop poisonous fumes escaping.

A coroner's inquest in Newport heard that the former Royal Marine and father of one had been suffering from depression for over a year.

Mr Welch joined the lite force when he was 16 and was decorated for his service in the Falklands. His body was discovered in the bathroom by one of his three brothers on October 15, 2004, after he failed to turn up for work.

Gwent coroner David Bowen said: "He had not only sealed himself in the bathroom but there were charcoal barbecues and empty tablet containers."

Brother Nigel Welch, 42, of Victoria Street, Abertillery, said: "He was a very popular man who will be missed by all the family.

"We were proud of him when he joined the marines, proud of him when he left, and we are proud of him now."

After spending five years with the marines Mr Welch returned to Abertillery and started work at CD and DVD manufacturer Technicolor, of Cwmbran, where he worked until his death.

Nigel Welch said that his divorced brother had become upset about access to his young daughter and had been taking anti-depressants.

He said: "A couple of weeks before he seemed to be OK and none of us thought he would do this.

"He was a bit of a character, and around Christmas he would be the first to want to go out. I missed him a lot this Christmas. He was a great brother and always someone you could rely on."