A former RAF firefighter who contemplated taking his own life following struggles with injuries is qualifying to be a volleyball coach to "give something back" to fellow veterans.

Darren Young from Gillingham was a keen footballer when he was younger but problems with his knee stopped him signing with Middlesbrough FC and turning pro.

Instead, he joined the RAF – but injuries sustained during his service meant he was medically discharged in 2006, aged just 36.

Now 52, Darren said: "I was absolutely gutted to leave. I was still passing the RAF fitness tests although I was on lots and lots of painkillers.

"It really knocked me hard when I left. The only thing that kept me going was my football."

After leaving the services, Darren started studying and went on to work at several colleges and schools before teaching PE and maths at Medway Secure Training Centre.

But his injuries continued to cause issues. Darren said: "My back just got worse and worse. The painkillers were not having an effect and I ended up on Morphine patches just so I was able to play football.

"Because the medication was so addictive, in 2009, my doctor said I could not keep taking them. It was then I decided I needed to stop playing football. But as soon as I stopped playing, I had to deal with the depression.

"Being unable to do the things I used to do, led to me being diagnosed with clinical depression. In 2017, I was suffering and not sleeping much.

He added: "At the time sport was really important to me. I felt if I was doing sport, I was OK. If not, I would really struggle."

Darren started searching for teams for people with disabilities and discovered the Invictus Games – an international sport event created by Prince Harry for ill, wounded and injured servicemen.

Although he did not get in, he was chosen to be part of Team UK for the Warrior Games in Chicago, winning three silver and one gold medal.

Six unsuccessful operations on his injuries later, Darren, now lives in Kent with his wife Mel and son Hudson, and runs his own fire-and-safety training company, 1st Aid Fire, based in Gillingham.

The veteran did eventually qualify for the 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney, and competed in discus and sitting volleyball but the run up to his trip Down Under proved a difficult time.

The dad-of-one said: "I hit a low. I cannot remember what triggered it. I went to my tablet cupboard, pulled everything out and I was going to commit suicide.

"While I was looking at the pills, a little vision of my wife and son came into my head.

"I had hidden my feelings from them, and they had no idea how low I was. If I was to end it there all the questions would be put on them and they would have no answers."

But Darren says he managed to stop himself and believes he wouldn't be here if not for the Invictus Games and Armed Forces charity, Help for Heroes.

He hopes taking part in the charity's Coaching Academy will help him give something back, not just to the Charity, but to fellow veterans and grass-root sport in Kent.

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Darren is the only person in the academy specialising in the Level 2 volleyball course, for which he must put in 200 hours of volunteer coaching within his local community.

"As well as giving me a focus and a qualification, I want to help anyone within the Warrior or Invictus Games," he said.

"In the future I would love to go from someone who was turned down, to coaching one of the teams competing in the Invictus Games – or being in charge of the Games themselves."

The RAF veteran added: "It is been brilliant. It has allowed me to channel a lot of negative energy into something which I am actually enjoying. Whether that is giving to local people in the Kent area or giving something back to the ex-military guys who are coming through."

Darren's next challenge will be to compete in the GB sitting volleyball team at the Paralympics in Paris in 2024.

From there he will look to finish playing sport and use his coaching badges to become a full-time sports coach.

"It is a long-term plan but once I have got those Paralympic symbols tattooed on my arm, then I can retire.

"If I had not been awake that night and found the Invictus Games, I would not be playing for Great Britain now; I would not have the focus for Paralympics 2024.

"I owe Help for Heroes for the journey I have been on for the past five years. This is down to them doing what they do. It is a life-changer."

Help for Heroes believes those who serve our country deserve support when they are wounded.

The charity helps them, and their families, to recover from both the physical and psychological wounds from their time in service and live fulfilling lives.