Loved New Mills mountain rescuer took his own life after depression battle

Daniel Sells, 38, known for his special bond with the team’s rescue dog Maya, was found dead in his car after sending time-programmed texts stating he intended to end his life.

Chesterfield Coroner’s Court heard how he wrote in the texts - timed for 7.30pm on Sunday May 5 last year - that ‘nothing could have prevented’ his course of action.

Police found Daniel in his car at Derbyshire Bridge car park, close to Errwood Reservoir after being alerted - having died of carbon monoxide asphyxiation.

The court heard evidence that just a few days before on April 30 Daniel made arrangements for his dog to be looked after at the weekend.

Assistant Coroner Sophie Lomas was told how the mountain volunteer - described as ‘there for everyone else but not for himself’ by a friend - had already tried to take his life in 2015.

Daniel had been receiving treatment from Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust however following a number of cancelled meetings between January and May last year he stopped responding to the trust’s letters.

Speaking to Buxton Advertiser when the sad news emerged in 2019 Nick Shepherd, Daniel’s best friend and a fellow KMRT member, how Daniel ‘just didn’t invest any time in himself’.

He described how the New Mills man - who had no children and never married - ‘had always been there’.

He said: “Dan was always one to offer support and guidance but when you asked him how he was he just said ‘not bad’.

Daniel - in a ‘typical’ act of generosity - raised more than £8,000 within five days through online fundraising to pay vet bills for Nick’s own search dog’s double cruciate ligament operation.

Nick, 46, said: “I’m really sad - he’s my best friend in the world and I’m going to miss him.

“It will be a while before I get over it, to be sure.”

Daniel, who ran his own dog-walking business, joined KMRT in 2012 - showing a major interest in search dogs.

Dave Eustace, deputy leader of KMRT, told Buxton Advertiser last year that fellow team members were ‘shocked and upset’ by the loss.

He spoke of Daniel’s ‘massive commitment’ through his passion for search and rescue dog training and his hard work maintaining KMRT’s web and social media pages.

Speaking about Daniel’s special bond with Maya, he said: “Dan absolutely lived through the dog - I think she provided some meaning for him. He was a really lovely guy - a good guy.

“This is a big shock to everybody - we’re just trying to support each other through it.”

A post-mortem examination found Daniel died of carbon monoxide asphyxiation.

Coroner Sophie Lomas recorded a verdict of suicide.

In a record of the inquest she wrote: “On balance, the evidence demonstrates that Daniel’s actions on 5th May 2019 were deliberate and were carried out with the intention of taking his own life.”

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