A 71-year-old woman, suffering from terminal cancer, committed suicide along with her husband of more than 50 years because they could not face living without each other.

Bowel cancer victim Maureen Read found out that her condition was incurable, and was prescribed a strong painkiller to cope with the pain, the Daily Mail reported.

She and her 76-year-old husband John were found lying dead side by side by their children at their home in Bideford, North Devon.

They were holding hands, their heads were together on the pillow, and they had left notes addressed: "To my loving family".

The couple killed themselves by taking an overdose of the painkiller the woman had been given.

Her husband was also suffering from a painful bowel condition called Crohn's Disease, but was otherwise well. He, however, chose to end his life because he could not face living without his wife.