A 33-year-old described by a coroner as "an intelligent young man with a great deal to live for" took his own life, an inquest concluded.

Michael Bellio was born in Lambeth in London in March 1987 but had been staying with his mother at her home in Aylesford at the time of his death.

In a written statement read to the inquest held via video link at the Archbishop's Palace in Maidstone today she said that her son had been an only child. He had two children of his own, but had split from their mother, his childhood sweetheart, when they were still babies.

The boys are now aged 10 and 12. He had kept in touch with his family and was involved in his children's lives.

However, he had suffered a history of drug use and gambling since he was 15 and had struggled with his mental health since the death of his father in 2017.

Coroner Scot Matthewson heard that Mr Bellio had taken the death of his father very badly.

Mr Bellio had not had a particularly good relationship with his father, but they had re-established a connection shortly before his father's death.

Other troubles mounted and because of his mental state, Mr Bellio had to give up his job as a sales assistant with John Lewis. Then he was made homeless when he was evicted from the flat he was sharing with his current girlfriend when it was wanted for re-development. She went back to live with her parents.

Mr Bellio found a new flat in Station Road, Crayford, but would sometimes go to stay with his mother when he was feeling low. Most recently, his girlfriend had split with him entirely and her family had prevented him from contacting her.

Dr Eleanor Jones of Crayford Town Surgery said that Mr Bellio had registered with the surgery in January and said he had occasional suicidal thoughts.

She said he was suffering from bereavement-related depression and had been prescribed tranquillisers and offered counselling.

Mr Bellio's mother said her son had been staying with her for two weeks prior to his death on April 30.

He was often low and would spend a lot of time in his room, but he was never violent and "had his lighter moments."

When she came home from work that day a little after 5pm, she found him in the ensuite bathroom to the bedroom at her home in Aylesford and a note left for her.

Her attempts and those of the emergency services to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

A post mortem found the cause of death to be suspension but determined there was no trace of alcohol or drugs in the body.

DS Pauline Collins gave evidence about how Kent Police had examined the scene and found no signs of break-in or disturbance and no defensive wounds on the body and so had concluded there had been no third party involvement in the death.

The coroner said that Mr Bellio had "got into a bit of a bumpy path in his life" and he was satisfied, particularly in view of the suicide note, that Mr Bellio had intended to take his own life.

Suicide is the single biggest cause of death for men aged under 45 in the UK, according to the charity Calm. Guidance can be found here.

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