British scientist Dr David Goodall, 104, died at a Swiss suicide clinic at 11.40am on Thursday morning, medical staff confirmed.

Beethoven’s 9th Symphony was played in the room at the suicide clinic in Liestal, near Basel, as Dr Goodall took a fatal overdose of a sleeping drug.

A clinic spokesman said he 'had gone in peace’ and had been surrounded by a handful of family members and a friend as he wished.

Dr Goodall,  who spent most of his life in Australia, had arrived at the clinic just before 11am this morning, after enjoying a final meal of fish and chips and cheesecake - his favourite - in his hotel on Wednesday night.

The eminent biologist, who had said he had grown tired of living with deteriorating health, would have opened a valve allowing the drug to flow into his body – with death coming in less than a minute.

He consumed his final meal at his hotel in Basel last night, as friends and family, who have flown in to support him and say their goodbyes, toasted to his last evening on earth.

His grandsons Daniel and Duncan Goodall had told Mail Online they would be by his bedside when the fatal overdose was to be administered.

It is thought he will be cremated in Switzerland and his ashes flown back to Australia.