A loving father who shot himself twice while grieving for his dead son has died of his injuries.

Tragic Allen Hinchliffe, 52, turned the shotgun on himself at son Ben’s grave three weeks ago.

Allen, of Scholes, a well-known local league cricketer, shot and killed Ben’s beloved springer spaniel before blasting himself twice under the armpit and in the stomach.

He suffered terrible internal injuries and kidney damage and was in the critical care unit at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield for two weeks.

He had regained consciousness and was recovering and looking forward to going home. He suddenly suffered a relapse and died on Monday night.

His wife of nine months, Pamela, was by his side.

Mum-of-three Pamela, 44, told how Allen had not come to terms with the loss of Ben, 20, killed when his Suzuki 4x4 smashed into a wall in New Mill last October.

Ben Hinchliffe
Ben Hinchliffe

Allen went to Ben’s grave in Hade Edge Cemetery just days after an inquest heard his son may have fallen asleep at the wheel.

Pamela said though Ben didn’t live with his dad they saw each other virtually every day.

“They were inseparable,” said Pamela. “They would do everything together and would go out fishing and hunting with the dog they shared, Jake.

“Allen loved his son dearly and never got over the loss of Ben. He went up to Ben’s grave with Ben’s shotgun and shot the dog before turning the gun on himself.

“No one should have to bury a child. He just wanted all three of them to be together.”

Pamela met Allen, a former roofer, at the Shoulder of Mutton pub in Holmfirth where she worked.

“We had both been married before and weren’t looking to get married again but we just clicked,” said Pamela.

“He proposed and we married a year after meeting. He was a wonderful man and we loved each other to bits.”

The couple married at the Durker Roods Hotel in Meltham last August and Ben was best man.

Allen and Pamela Hinchliffe on their wedding day in August 2013.
Allen and Pamela Hinchliffe on their wedding day in August 2013.

Pamela, who has three children Stephen, 16, Sophie, 14, and Shannon, 11, said Allen suffered internal injuries and needed surgery to remove part of his bowel and intestines.

He also needed dialysis and had a catheter because of kidney damage.

Pamela said: “He was in a coma and the first time he opened his eyes I cried. When he realised he had survived he just wanted to escape the hospital and come home with me.

“He was getting better and was moved onto a ward but then suffered a relapse and had a bleed.

“He had got over that but then went to the renal unit for dialysis and his condition deteriorated.

“I was with him at the end and Shannon, who Allen hoped to adopt, wanted to see him.

“He told me he loved me and knew he was dying.”

Allen, who was a fast bowler and was hoping to play for Holmfirth this season, also had another son and two daughters from a previous relationship.

Pamela said she had questions over Allen’s death and had asked for a post-mortem examination.

She was waiting to hear whether an inquest would be held.

Trainee butcher Ben, who lived in Meltham, was not wearing a seatbelt when his 4x4 left the road.

Coroner Mary Burke stressed the importance of wearing seatbelts at his inquest.

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