A Pembrokeshire businessman took his life after struggling to cope with “significant financial difficulties”

an inquest heard on Thursday.

Pietro Malvisi ran Haverfordwest’s Snowdrop Bakery, as well as outlets at Castle Square and Pembroke Dock.

Pembrokeshire’s deputy coroner, Gareth Lewis, heard that in the months before his death bailiffs had visited Mr Malvisi’s home on two occasions.

He had sorted out the situation, telling his wife it had been a misunderstanding.

In a statement read to the inquest accounts clerk, Dorothy Norcott, said that she was aware of financial issues at the company and concerned about the level of debt.

On February 1st, the day before his death, the fatherof- two left the house at 5.30am to go to work.

Later that day he bought items from the DIY store on Snowdrop Lane, stopping to chat with the deputy manager, who noticed dark rings round his eyes and asked him if he was all right. He replied he was just a bit upset.

At 5.30pm he told his wife that he would not be home for dinner as he had been in Swansea and needed to stay on at the bakery.

She spoke to him again at around 1am when he said he would still be a few more hours and that he would sleep in the next day and go into work late.

When she woke up on February 2nd he had not returned home. She got no answer from his mobile and rang Snowdrop Bakery at 8.15am.

The staff there had not seen him and nobody had heard from him, which was unusual.

At 9.10am Mrs Norcott arrived for work at the bakery and went to enter the small office that only she and Mr Malvisi were authorised to enter.

Chairs were blocking the door but she managed to open it far enough to see Mr Malvisi collapsed and saw blood. She called immediately the emergency services. A letter to Mrs Malvisi was found at the scene.

A post mortem gave the cause of death as hanging and cuts to the wrists.

Pembrokeshire’s deputy coroner recorded a verdict of suicide, and said: “At the time of death Mr Malvisi had significant financial difficulties and was struggling to cope with these problems. Mr Malvisi left a letter for his wife clearly indicating his intention to take his own life.”