COSMETIC surgery left a Cheltenham man feeling depressed, an inquest has heard.   Retired civil servant Robert Loud, 66, had undergone a procedure to remove bags under his eyes.

But after becoming agitated about having the surgery, he drowned himself in a frozen lake on Cheltenham racecourse.   His body was found in the pond on December 14.

The inquest heard his wife Sue had reported him missing when he failed to return home to Ratcliff Lawns, Southam, the previous evening.

A security guard at Prestbury Park discovered his red Mitsubishi Colt car with a note. A bottle of whisky and a hammer were found near the broken ice on the lake.   Mrs Loud told the inquest she believed her husband’s drowning was a cry for help.

But Sgt Alex Linton said Mr Loud had gone out without his telephone and bank cards and had visited his solicitors earlier that day to sign his will.   Mr Loud’s GP, Dr Phillip Fielding, said that after undergoing cosmetic surgery, he had become increasingly angry at himself for going through with the procedure.

Dr Fielding said on December 7 last year, Mr Loud was depressed over the surgery so was prescribed a small number of anti-depressants and sleeping tablets.

By December 12 his self-harm feelings had been reduced and he was calm and analytical about the surgery. He was offered, and accepted, an offer of specialist support.

In a statement, consultant plastic surgeon James McDiarmid said there were no complications following the procedure on October 8.

He said Mr Loud had called his GP immediately after becoming increasingly guilty and negative about the surgery with suicidal ideas.   Time was spent reassuring Mr Loud, but he had scared himself by looking at worst-case scenarios on the internet.

Gloucestershire deputy coroner David Dooley recorded a verdict of suicide.    “He was obviously concerned about his facial appearance and despite frightening himself by looking at ‘horror stories’ on the internet, he decided to go ahead with the surgery,” Mr Dooley added.

“But Mr Loud became worried, impatient and angry at himself for taking the risk of the surgery.”