A wife said she’d ‘lost the love of her life’ during an inquest into the death of a popular cyclist.

Martin Turner, 54, from Southampton, was found dead at the foot of the cliffs at Ballard Down in Dorset on August 16 last year.

A high profile search was launched for him after Hampshire police issued a missing person appeal, leading to dozens of his fellow cycling club friends joining the search for him.

In the weeks following his death, around 60 cyclists – including his former club Nieuw Bos Cycling Club - took part in a tribute ride to Mr Turner.

The inquest into his death was held at Bournemouth Town Hall on Thursday.

It heard that a little more than a week before his death, an allegation was made against him which police were investigating.

Mr Turner, who was a plumber, was interviewed voluntarily by Hampshire police and was not arrested.

Coroner Brendan Allen, reading a statement from Mr Turner’s wife Sue, said: “We had a normal loving relationship, he was fit and healthy. He never had mental health issues, he was a happy man.

“On August 7, that all changed due to an allegation that had been made as a consequence of which the police had been contacted. He was mortified.

“He changed before my eyes, he was totally broken, he couldn’t believe what was happening.”

At the same time, Mr Turner was under pressure from work, and was informed that his father was terminally ill.

He was interviewed voluntarily by police but never arrested, and After the interview he told his wife he was “losing the will to live”, the inquest heard.

On August 15, he went out on a bike ride, telling his wife he would be home around 12pm.

Her statement continued: “When Martin didn’t return home I rang around friends, it was then I reported him missing. The following day officers attended and informed me he had taken his own life.

“I would like to confirm that Martin would have never taken his own life and he took it because of the allegation that was made.

“The whole family is destroyed and I have lost the love of my life.”

The coroner recorded a conclusion of suicide.

Hampshire Police confirmed Mr Turner was a “high risk missing person”, the inquest heard, meaning there was a high risk he could come to serious harm.

At 9.50pm on August 15, his phone was used in the Sandbanks area, and the following morning officers confirmed he had used the Sandbanks ferry.

After an extensive search involving members of the public and Mr Turner’s cycling club, at 3.30pm, his abandoned bicycle had been found in Ballard Down, shortly after his body was found at the foot of the cliff.

A post mortem revealed the medical cause of death was multiple injuries.

Recording a conclusion, Mr Allen said: “Mr Turner was being investigated by police in relation to an allegation that was made against him. He was found at Ballard Down.

“I record a conclusion that Mr Turner died as a consequence of suicide.”