Jenny Woledge's life was changed forever when her son took his own life at the family home.

She tells Gerry Warren she is now on a mission to try to prevent other families suffering such tragedy.

Three years after his death, Jenny Woledge still feels the painful loss of her 20-year-old son William.

It was made all the more difficult to bear because he took his own life at their home.

She still regrets not reading the signs at the time but is now committed to helping save other families from going through the same trauma and grief.

"Obviously, as a mother, I felt guilty - how could I have not seen the signs?" she said.

"But unbeknown to me, William had been self-harming since he was 11 and suffered really badly from anxiety.

"Then, a couple of months before he died, he became very withdrawn and was also very down about the death of his grandfather, who he was close too.

"But I just didn't see it until after I came back from holiday and found the house in a mess and he just came straight out and told me he didn't want to live any more."

Jenny, 56, a semi-retired HR manager who also has a 28-year-old daughter, said: "I was very much like 'what do you mean you don't want to live? You've got a lovely house, a job, a car and no money worries'?"

"But it was as if his world had caved in and he lost all sense of being a worthy person."

Although Jenny was seeking help for her son, it was too late and, tragically, she found him hanged at their house in Ersham Road, Canterbury, on January 2, 2015, when she returned from work.

"I turned the place upside down looking for a note but couldn't find anything," she said.

"It was only when the police checked his phone that they found it."

Distressingly, Jenny only learned what the note said when it was read out at an inquest in June 2015.

In it, William, who worked in the bakery at Sainsbury's in Faversham, said: "Just know I'm happy now I'm no longer here and I honestly mean this.

"I've been sad too long. I'm so blase about this because I welcome it with a salute and a smile.

"I've tortured my body for nine years and my soul wants to stay but I'm detached now. I can't go on like this."

Speaking this week, Jenny said she is now on a mission to help others and prevent suicides.

She has completed an Applied Suicide Intervention Skills training course as well as a safeTALK programme, which alerts family and friends to the risk of suicide.

"My aim is to set up a service because there is nothing like it in Kent where there are a high number of suicides among young people," she said.

"I'm sure if I had known back then what I know now, William would still be alive.

"I am working with the Ollie Foundation, set up by three parents who were affected by the suicide of their sons, and we are keen to promote this training and awareness in schools, colleges and universities, as well as other organisations.

"It's about spotting the signs and being able to intervene. Suicide is a taboo subject but we have to confront it and try to reduce the tragedies.

"If I can help prevent one death, I think I will have achieved something from William's."

For more information about the courses and inviting Jenny to give a talk, email jennywoledge@sky.com.

n If you would like confidential support on an emotional issue, call Samaritans free on 116 123.