A retired Gurkha Captain killed himself after he became increasingly depressed.

Sandup Tamang, who was found dead in an alleyway in Folkestone, stabbed himself in the neck with a kitchen knife.

An inquest today heard that Mr Tamang, 70, was already distressed by having cancer.

But his depression was compounded by his carer leaving for Nepal and his daughter moving to Bangladesh to study medicine.

Coroner Rachel Redman, who recorded a verdict of suicide, said: "This was a very sad death.

"He clearly found it difficult to cope with his cancer.

"His depression became acute because of his daughter going to Bangladesh and his carer going to Nepal. He felt isolated."

Mr Tamang, 70, was found lying in an alleyway by two workmen close to his home at Cheriton High Street last October 15.

Just before one of the men had seen him walk past their van carrying a knife.

A post mortem examination found that the stab wound in his neck was close to the tracheotomy wound, surgically placed because of throat cancer.

The inquest at Ashford heard that Mr Tamang was founded dead two hours after he had been visited at his home by a community mental heath team offering him treatment.

Mrs Redman concluded that Mr Tamang had taken his life while suffering depressive illness.

Mr Tamang had three daughters and a wife but the family is now back in Nepal.