MAN who was found dead at a house in Horton Heath may have killed himself, an inquest heard.

The body of granddad John Derek Sloper, 55, was found in the front bedroom of a property in Botley Road after a small fire broke out.

Fire crews from Botley and Eastleigh were called by police just after 8am and about ten firefighters soon put out what they described as a small fire in a waste bin inside a wardrobe.

A police investigation was launched, but officers said it did not appear that the death was suspicious.

The inquest, which opened in Winchester, heard that a post-mortem examination carried out at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital found that the cause of death could not be established until histology and toxicology tests had been carried out.

The hearing was told by coroner's officer Roger Matcham that it was believed Mr Sloper had started to become depressed after his wife left him and that, some time between 5.30am and 7.30am on Friday, September 15, he had cut his wrists and taken alcohol to his bedroom.

It was thought that he then set fire to his wife's clothes and may have caused further harm to himself.

The coroner's officer told the court that it was not yet certain whether Mr Sloper died as a result of his wounds or from smoke inhalation.

A spokesman for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that a fire investigation was under way.

Central Hampshire coroner Grahame Short adjourned the inquest until a provisional date of December 20.

Mr Sloper leaves two children and two grandchildren. A celebration of his life will take place tomorrow at Southampton crematorium.