THREE Wiltshire Police officers and paramedics tried desperately to save the life of a Devizes man who was found submerged in a bath, an inquest has heard.

The three PCs, Paul Croft, Millis Miller and Nicholas Dorrie, took turns to administer CPR, chest compressions and defibrillator shocks in a bid to revive Terry William West.

But the 43-year-old was pronounced dead at his home in Sheep Street, Devizes, by paramedics at 6.35pm on Sunday, March 5.

Ian Singleton, the area coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon, heard at Thursday’s inquest in Salisbury that Mr West had a long history of alcohol abuse, self-harm, anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts dating back to 2002.

He called the South Western Ambulance Service up to ten times a year and was a regular visitor to Accident and Emergency departments.

The coroner was told that on March 5, a neighbour called 999 after seeing water flooding into their property.

Police arrived and used force to gain entry to Mr West’s home where they found water running from the bathroom taps.

PC Paul Croft said he saw “a lot of water” coming from the ceiling and steam and condensation droplets coming from the bathroom.

He found Mr West submerged in the bath and immediately pulled him out by his left arm and dragged him into the hallway, where he began administering CPR.

He was joined by his colleagues PC Millis Miller and PC Nicholas Dorey, and all three took turns to administer CPR and chest compressions.

Together the officers administered 11 cycles of electric shocks from a defibrillator in a bid to save Mr West’s life.

They were joined by paramedics from the South Western Ambulance Service who at one point detected a weak pulse but were unable to maintain it.

The inquest was told Mr West had been a patient at the South Broom Surgery in Devizes and of the Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.

Mr West was also treated by the Wiltshire Primary Care Liaison Service which discharged him after he failed to respond to calls and letters.

Mr Singleton gave the cause of death as drowning but said he was recording a narrative verdict as he could not determine whether Mr West had intended to take his own life.