Fame's wife 'felt she had lost role'

role in life, an inquest heard yesterday.

She had expressed worries about what the future held for her now that

her two sons were grown up and no longer needed her.

Mrs Nicolette Powell, 51, a former debutante and the ex-wife of the

Marquis of Londonderry, married Fame 21 years ago. His real name is

Clive Powell.

Fame did not attend the hearing but, in a statement, said his wife

began suffering acute depression 18 months ago.

She had received treatment at a private clinic and initially her

condition improved. ''But recently her condition deteriorated and all

her old doubts came flooding back,'' he said. ''There was nothing the

family could do to alleviate the problem.''

On Friday, August 13, his wife had entertained a guest at their

farmhouse near Wincanton, Somerset, and later said she was going

shopping in Yeovil.

He had no reason to believe she intended to harm herself. By late

afternoon, he was worried because she did not return. At 5.30pm, a

police officer arrived at the house and told him his wife had been found

in Bristol. Fame went to Bristol Royal Infirmary where he identified her

body.

Dr Desmond Kelly said he had been treating Mrs Powell since April 1992

after an overdose of barbiturates and whisky.

He said she had been worried about her mother, who was suffering from

Alzheimer's disease.

The doctor last saw her in July, the month before her death. Although

she had lost weight he did not consider her then to be suicidal.

''Throughout her illness, her husband and family were enormously

supportive,'' he added.

Two teenage girl cousins told how they were admiring the view from the

bridge when a middle-aged woman standing nearby suddenly handed them a

blue envelope and said: ''Excuse me, here's my address, can you raise

the alarm, please?''

Seconds later, the woman climbed over the railings and plunged

head-first from the bridge.

Avon coroner Paul Forrest recorded a verdict that Mrs Powell killed

herself while suffering from depression.

He said he would write to the bridge authorities in the light of a

number of recent suicides there.

''I hope they will take appropriate action to prevent a recurrence of

such tragedies,'' he said.