TWO people have been arrested over the death of a 94-year-old man from the New Forest.

An 89-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man were held on suspicion of committing an act capable of encouraging or assisting someone to take their own life.

It follows the death of former company director Ralph Saxon Snell, who lived at Lymington.

A post-mortem examination was carried out by Home Office pathologist Dr Basil Purdue but proved inconclusive.

An inquest into Mr Snell's death was opened and adjourned at Winchester Coroner's Court.

Senior coroner Grahame Short was told further tests were needed to determine the cause of death and adjourned the inquest until August 9.

Last night it emerged that two people had been arrested in connection with Mr Snell's death.

A police spokesman said: "We were called at 9.53pm on Monday, January 28 after the body of a 94-year-old man was found at a house in Lymington.

"An investigation is under way to establish the exact circumstances of the death.

"An 89-year-old woman from Lymington and a 68-year-old man from Somerset were arrested on suspicion of intentionally doing an act capable of encouraging/assisting the suicide of another.

"They have been released from police custody but remain under investigation."

One of Mr Snell's neighbours said: "He was very nice, very easy, but he hadn't been well for the past year or so. He wasn't the same person."

Helping someone to take their own life is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.