THE heartbroken mum of a 26-year-old man who took his own life has urged those with depression or mental illness not to suffer in silence.

Simon Walker - a ‘well-liked’ dad-of-one - had struggled with depression and had experienced financial difficulties in the months leading up to his death.

He was found hanged by a passer-by at Marsden Park, Walton Lane, Nelson, on January 19 this year, an inquest in Burnley heard.

Now his mum Donna Solessi and the rest of his family want to help raise awareness of depression and other mental health problems.

They have set-up a fundraising page which has raised money for Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), a campaign aimed at bringing down the suicide rate among men. They also support the charity PAPYRUS, which aims to prevent suicides in young people.

Donna said: “He was a really good dad and a good person.

“He was well-liked and had a big circle of friends, so it’s such a shock what has happened to everyone of us.

“He was the life and soul of any party.”

“So my message to people with depression and mental illness is don’t suffer in silence and reach out to a friend or family member and get help.

Simon, of Newfield Drive, Nelson, went to school at Castercliff Academy in Nelson, before going to Pendle View High School and then studying a three-year engineering course at Nelson and Colne College.

He also worked at PDS Engineering in Nelson.

The hearing was told how Simon became troubled and worried about money and about paying off his debts.

He had also visited his doctor and had been on medication for depression, which he took on and off.

The hearing heard how Simon had made some plans at Christmas 2017 and had booked a holiday for him and his son and had made a payment plan for his rent.

But in the New Year he didn’t return to his work and things went downhill for Simon from there, the inquest heard.

Donna said: “The last conversation I had with Simon he said he’d lost everything and was so fed up and deflated and crying and angry.”

East Lancashire assistant coroner Richard Taylor offered his condolences to Simon’s family and praised him.

He said: “The fact so many of you are here shows how missed he is and how loved he is.

“I can only offer my sincere condolences for your loss.”

Pathologist Dr Al Mudaffer said the cause of Simon’s death was hanging.

Recording a verdict that Simon died as a result of suicide, assistant coroner Mr Taylor said: “Mr Walker died on January 19, 2018, in Marsden Park, Walton Lane, Nelson, having suspended himself by the neck with a rope from railings.”