WIDOW Angie Gerrelli has received an apology from police after the bloodstained rope used by her estranged husband to kill himself was mistakenly returned to her by officers in Wales.

The yellow tow rope was among the items given to Angie after the inquest into the death of her husband John Gilmore earlier this month.

Three bags of his possessions were given to her – and Mr Gilmore's surname had been misspelled on some of the attached tags.

The tag on the bag containing the tow rope was labelled 'Gillmorge'.

Angie, from Park Place, Amersham, said: “I did think 'Have they done this on purpose?' Was it an internal joke because it came from the morgue?

“It's affected me quite badly. I'm not sleeping well.

“I understand it was a mistake, but it was an unforgivable mistake.”

The pair had been estranged for four years, with Mr Gilmore moving to Barry in South Wales with son Scott, who has since moved back in with his mother.

They had been married for 21 years.

Mr Gilmore, 50, who had two other children from a previous marriage, was found dead in Porthkerry Park, Barry, by a dog walker last November.

Angie, 52, was given three bags of his possessions following the Cardiff inquest on March 5.

She said: “They gave me the possessions because I had come so far. There were three bags, two were clear plastic and the other was this huge potato sack.

“The first thing I pulled out was my laptop. I said 'I can have my laptop back now'. It was like reaching into Santa's sack and we were laughing.

“The next thing I pulled out was the rope. I saw yellow then red and realised what it was.

“I just turned my hand over and let it fall. I didn't want to touch it.”

A police officer rang her to apologise after friend Kerry Davies made a complaint.

“He apologised profusely, he couldn't have been more apologetic,” she said.

She was unable to attend Mr Gilmore's funeral but saw him at the chapel of rest.

“He didn't look any different to if he was sleeping,” she said.

A photograph found inside Mr Gilmore's wallet showed the couple together.

Chief Inspector Jay Dave, of Vale of Glamorgan police, said: “This was a very unfortunate incident and I would like to apologise for any distress caused as a result.

“The officers concerned will be spoken to about this and steps will be put in place to ensure that there will be no repeat.”