A holiday park owner facing the breakdown of his marriage and business is believed to have started a blaze that killed him and his mother, an inquest heard.

Michael Patten, 57, perished alongside his mother Dorothy, 92, during a fire at her bungalow.

A joint inquest yesterday was told Mr Patten faced seeing his long-running business sold as his 32-year marriage foundered.

He had run Shearbarn Holiday Park in Barley Lane, Hastings, with wife Joan and two of their children for 27 years.

With talk of a marriage breakdown came the prospect of selling off the holiday park.

One reason for Mrs Patten filing divorce papers was the overbearing influence Dorothy Patten, known as Dora, had on her son.

Another reason was because Mr Patten had found another woman, Sandra Sharp, about four weeks before.

The inquest in Hastings heard Mr Patten, who lived with his family on site, was against the idea of selling the business.

He feared his mother would lose the on-site bungalow under any deal, leaving her without the many friends she had at the park.

The day before his death, he had a meeting with his wife to discuss retaining the park, with Mr Patten and Mrs Sharp living on the site and Joan Patten running the business.

But Joan Patten was against the idea, saying she felt conflict could occur with Mrs Sharp in the operation of the venture.

She said she was also unhappy at the abuse she received from her mother-in-law, who held a 25 per cent stake in the business.

With an offer made for the park, East Sussex Coroner Alan Craze suggested Mr Patten felt "cornered" and finally realised the business would be sold.

At about 5am on July 29, nightwatchman Michael Hellier, 19, was on duty when he saw the bungalow ablaze.

Inside were Mr Patten and his mother. Post-mortem examinations showed both died from shock due to burns.

With petrol found at the scene, police launched an investigation but later ruled out third party involvement.

The inquest heard Mr Patten had shown suicidal tendencies in the past. Once he threatened to jump from Beachy Head while three weeks before his death he spoke about suicide bombings in Israel.

However, Joan Patten said he was devoted to his mother and she to him and he would never harm her.

She said: "His relationship was one of not being able to live with her and not being able to live without her."

Mr Craze recorded a verdict of unlawful killing for Dora Patten and an open verdict for Mr Patten.