A nurse who engaged in a double suicide pact with her “devoted” husband was discovered cuddling her pet dogs.

Cassie Collins, 35, and Francis Collins, 36, were found by a family member at their Cullompton home in Devon on September 11, 2021.

Three of the couple's five dogs were also found dead by the family member who grew concerned about the pair's welfare.

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A short time before the suicide pact, two of the larger dogs had been put to sleep by a local vet following claims they had been involved in an attack.

An inquest was held at Exeter’s Coroner's Court on Monday into their deaths.

It was revealed that the couple had been struggling with challenges in their life before entering the double suicide pact.

In the lead-up to their deaths, they were said to have carried out a number of pre-planned actions including creating a joint will and sending letters and emails.

A statement was read out from Cassie's sister Jodie, telling how they had both spoken in the past of wanting to end their lives, reports Devon Live.

She then received a letter through the post from Cassie on September 11, 2021, in which she apologised for being unable to cope with the pain she was in anymore.

After gaining entry into her home, Cassie was discovered lifeless in her bed cuddling three of their dead dogs – a chihuahua and two miniature pinschers – who had been described as like children.

Francis was found passed away in the hallway.

They were described by family members as "soulmates" who were "really good together and joined at the hip".

But they are said to have become worried about everything being taken from them after a new police investigation was launched against Francis.

He had previously been jailed for throwing homemade firebombs onto a neighbour's drive following a civil dispute over the ownership of a piece of land when they lived in Wales. The couple moved to Cullompton in late 2020.

Cassie was also said to have endured many years living in chronic pain due to knee and shoulder injuries that left her unable to work and often bedbound.

Cassie's mum, Deborah Coombes, said: "Since then is when her really significant pain started. She spent most of her time in bed in agony. She described it as like rubbing sand into a cut all the time.

"I can 100 per cent say Francis wouldn't have killed her. They were devoted and soulmates and he said if anything happened to Cassie he would kill himself as she was everything to him."

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A police investigation confirmed there was no third-party involvement or suspicious circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Recording a conclusion of suicide for both deaths, Alison Longhorn, area coroner for Exeter and Greater Devon, said: "I am satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, both Cassie and Francis have taken their own lives and intended to do so."

Addressing their family, she said: "This is a particularly tragic circumstance and I can't imagine how it has been to deal with the loss of not one but of both of them."

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