AN elderly married couple entered into a suicide pact because they wanted to “walk through the pearly gates together”, an inquest heard.

Geoffrey, 89, and Ida Platt, 90, both took an overdose of paracetamol in their ground-floor flat in Sindsley Court on Moss Lane, Swinton, in May last year.

The couple had discussed and planned their suicide and had jointly made the decision to die, a Bolton inquest heard.

But having been discovered lying in their home by a neighbour, Geoffrey was left a widower after watching his beloved wife of 50 years die from her self-inflicted injuries while he recovered and returned to their empty flat.

Three months later, the retired water board engineer was found hanged at home, having waited for his niece and main carer, Janet Jackson, to go on holiday to France.

He spoke to her and told her he loved her before taking his own life on July 26, the court heard.

Mrs Jackson told the inquest her aunt, who was “intelligent, artistic and creative”, was “a perfect match” for her uncle who was “passionate and opinionated”.

She said the couple had travelled the world despite Mr Platt’s struggles with PTSD after he was involved in a mining accident in New Zealand in his younger years which had left him hearing voices and suffering night terrors.

In recent years, Mrs Platt’s health had deteriorated, resulting in her having a pacemaker fitted and facing operations on her eyes.

“Geoff had a mission in life and it was to keep Ida alive,” said Ms Jackson.

“He was trying to turn back the clock and make her well again.”

The inquest heard that a neighbour had spotted the Platts' front door open on the morning of Sunday, May 12, and found the couple unresponsive.

They were taken to Salford Royal Hospital where Mrs Platt initially recovered well and was lucid enough to tell her niece she was angry she hadn’t died.

“She was very calm but angry she was still alive,” said Mrs Jackson. “It was a deliberate decision she made and I have no reason not to believe her.”

Mrs Platt’s condition then worsened and she died in the hospital on May 18.

Mr Platt recovered and was determined to return home and also appear in court, where he was acting as a witness for a friend.

He was discharged on May 28, despite his family and doctors trying to persuade him otherwise. But coroner Rachel Syed said she was satisfied the right decision had been made and Mr Platt did not meet the requirements for being sectioned.

The inquest heard Mr Platt’s care was then transferred to Salford Home Based Treatment Team, praised by Ms Syed for the help they gave the widower, whose condition and mood improved until he was interviewed by police officers in connection with his wife’s death.

“Geoff was a very proud man but after going to give his statement it was as if he had a weight on his shoulders. He was unshaven, would wear the same clothes and started to drink a bit more brandy.” said the treatment team’s Edward Murdoch.

On Friday, July 26, Mr Platt asked Mr Murdoch and a visiting doctor to leave his flat and he was found hanged later that day by another member of staff, who had gone to his flat after concerns were raised about his mental health.

A serious incident review by Dr Martin Earl, a consultant psychiatrist for Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Trust, found it had been “the correct decision” to discharge Mr Platt and the treatment team had gone “above and beyond” with their care.

Recording a conclusion of suicide in both cases, Ms Syed described the couple as a “modern-day Romeo and Juliet”.

She added: “I find the correct decisions were made and there were no missed opportunities. This was a tragic set of circumstances in the truest sense of the word.”