An inquest heard that a millionaire's wife wrote 20 suicide notes before drowning in her swimming pool after her husband left her for a tea lady, writes Andrew Ffrench.

The body of Paulene Elsbury, 62, was found in the pool at the family's luxury home in Whitchurch-on-Thames, after the split from her husband David, 63. The wife of the former 300,000-a-year chief executive of Racal Electronics had taken a cocktail of Champagne and prescribed pills.

Mrs Elsbury never got over the trauma of her husband leaving her for tea lady Rosalind Tiller, 44, in 1998. He left a note to his wife to say he was leaving. Oxford Coroner's Court heard yesterday that Mrs Elsbury was discovered by her brother-in-law Geoffrey Hatcher. She was fully clothed and face down in the pool. Opened Champagne and brandy bottles and two packets of sleeping pills were found nearby.

Mrs Elsbury, who suffered from Parkinson's Disease, left an emotional note to her sister Diane Hatcher. In it she said: "I can't see any future I don't want to be the object of pity. "I could have coped with the break-up or the Parkinson's but not both.

Home Office pathologist Dr Vesna Djurovic said the cause of death was drowning.

Coroner Nicholas Gardiner recorded an open verdict. He said he had no doubt Mrs Elsbury had been contemplating taking her own life, but it was not clear she intended to do so that night.