A retired stockbroker with dementia shot his terminally ill wife before turning the gun on himself after telling a 999 operator the couple could 'only see death before them', an inquest has heard. Harold Ambrose, 82, used a licenced shotgun to shoot his cancer-stricken wife, Wendy, as she slept then shot himself, Chelmsford Coroners' Court heard. The 77-year-old mother-of-one had been given just six months to live just days earlier. The coroner was told that Mr Ambrose called 999 from the couple's £260,000 thatched cottage at 6.37am on May 24 last year, and told police he had shot his wife and intended to kill himself as 'we only see death and horrible things in front of us'. Harold Ambrose, 82, used a licenced shotgun to shoot his cancer-stricken wife, Wendy, as she slept then turned it on himself at their cottage in Essex (pictured), Chelmsford Coroners' Court heard . DC Lea Goodwin said: 'He informed the operator he had just shot his wife and planned to shoot himself in the very near future. 'He said his wife and himself were in love, we enjoyed life but now we only see death and horrible things in front of us. 'He terminated the call. 'She tried to call back but received no answer.' Armed officers attended the two-bedroom thatched cottage in the picturesque village of Boxted on the outskirts of Colchester, Essex, at 7am and found two bodies. Police discovered the body of Mr Ambrose in the garden while his wife's body was found in a chair in the living room that she slept in due to back problems. A post-mortem revealed Mr Ambrose suffered a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the face, while Mrs Ambrose had two gunshot wounds. The inquest today ruled Mrs Ambrose had been unlawfully killed while Mr Ambrose took his own life. Mrs Ambrose had been in and out of hospital in the months prior to her untimely death and was diagnosed with malignant adenocarcinoma - a type of cancer that forms in mucus-secreting glands through out the body - on May 6. Doctors had given her a prognosis of just six to nine months to live. But the inquest was told that Mrs Ambrose had raised the couple's concerns about moving into a home during a carer's home visit. Police discovered the body of Mr Ambrose in the garden while his wife's body was found in a chair in the living room that she slept in due to back problems . Coroner Eleanor McGann said: 'A carer visited the home on May 23 at 2pm. At that time Mrs Ambrose was talking about having to sell the house and move into a care home. 'She said they would be sad to leave the house.' The court heard that Mr Ambrose was the legal owner of a single-barrelled shotgun despite recent concerns about the onset of dementia. Police revealed they had performed the mandatory five-year review in Ocotber 2011 before these concerns were raised and his GP had failed to inform them of further developments. Chief inspector Glen Pavelin said: 'Had Essex Police been in receipt of information from the GP around his deteriorating health that would have generated a period of review and intervention.' Coroners Mrs McGann said: 'These are a very, very sad set of circumstances. 'I am going to draw the attention of the Home Office to the fact that GP's surgery was under no legal obligation to inform Essex Police of Mr Ambrose's dementia.' The inquest at Chelmsford Coroners' Court (stock picture) today ruled Mrs Ambrose had been unlawfully killed while Mr Ambrose took his own life . The couple had been described by neighbours in the village as 'pillars of the community', and at the time, neighbours paid tribute to the loving couple. Anne Grant, who lived nearby said: 'Harold and Wendy were a really likeable and very well-respected couple. 'They were very kind and friendly and had lived in the community for more than 30 years. 'They were pillars of the community. 'They were really smart and a couple who were very loving and close to one another. 'Wendy hadn't been very well and had been diagnosed with cancer and Harold was in the early stages of dementia.' One good friend and neighbour said: 'There is no way he would have hurt her without good reason. 'Mr Ambrose was a classic country gentleman - very traditional and law abiding. 'He would tip his cap to you if saw you in the lane. 'We know that his wife had suffered from poor health for several years. 'Recently she had been in and out of hospital with respiratory problems. 'My understanding of the facts is that he wanted to end her pain and could not bear to live without her.'
Harold Ambrose used  licenced shotgun to shoot terminally ill wife, Wendy . 77-year-old mother-of-one had been given just six months to live . Mr Ambrose told 999 operator that the couple were in love and enjoyed life . But he said: 'Now we only see death and horrible things in front of us'
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