A MUCH-LOVED father, husband and son who had problems during the lockdowns took his own life, an inquest heard.

Bruce Wetherhill left a note saying “I love you, I don’t want to be here, kiss, kiss, kiss,” said senior North Yorkshire coroner Jonathan Heath.

He was 31 when he died.

The inquest on Monday heard the Tadcaster man had found the coronavirus lockdowns hard as well as other problems and was suffering from depression. He had had depression before.

Since his death last December Bruce’s family has raised huge amounts of money for York Mind and Andy’s Man Club mental health charities.

Speaking after the inquest his mum Pauline said: “We don’t want anyone else to go through what we have been through.”

In the days leading up to the inquest, the family had been on a Coast to Coast walk they estimated has raised at least £26,000.

Mr Heath, reading evidence, said Josie had been at her mother’s house and rang her husband early on December 13.

But she got no answer and asked a friend to go round to see if he was all right because she was worried about him.

The friend found Bruce unconscious.

Despite all the efforts of doctors at York Hospital, he died the next day with his wife at his side.

A post-mortem concluded he had died of an overdose.  It found no traces of illicit drugs or alcohol. 

Mr Heath heard evidence from Bruce’s GP, Wendy Reeves, of Tadcaster Medical Centre, who referred him to the local crisis team and said he could ring her if he felt worse.

She had booked another phone call with him on December 15.

The inquest heard Bruce had contacted the local mental health services and had arranged counselling.

Mr Heath recorded a finding of death by suicide.