A MAN who killed himself on a railway track had bottled up his depression, an inquest heard.

Simon Goodwin, 46, father of one, died when he was struck by a southbound train and electrocuted at St Cross near Winchester.

He had given no inkling of his mental health to his family or friends, the hearing heard.

On May 9, the day of his death, his wife Katrina and daughter went for a lockdown walk but he stayed at home. As they returned at around midday he was leaving and he said "OK, I will see you later", giving no cause for concern.

But Mrs Goodwin noticed he had, unusually, taken a rucksack with him and grew worried when he had not returned within an hour because he obeyed the first lockdown's rules of only an hour's exercise.

Then at around 4pm she received a couple of emails from him. Area coroner Jason Pegg read part of them to the hearing. One said: "To my amazing wife Kat. I have been profoundly depressed and lack the ability to break out and speak to you. I have been struggling for a long time and have constant thoughts of ending my life. It is not done in anger but regret and exhaustion."

The second email said: "With love. There is nothing anyone could have done. I have been struggling for a long time. There is no light on the horizon. I haven't told anyone I have been struggling. I have been pretty good at hiding how depressed I have been. I got pretty good at helping others.

"I'm so, so sorry. My last request is please don't blame yourselves."

Within a minute or so Mr Goodwin went onto the track where he was struck by a freight train.

Freightliner driver Paul Zucskowski said he saw him standing near the tracks and alerted his control room. A few minutes later SWR driver Mark Dorey, who had been told to slow down to 20mph, saw the body.

Mrs Goodwin told the hearing: "He was nicest person on the planet. He was never horrible to anyone. He would do anything for anyone. He was really caring and loving father and the same as a husband. He would do anything for us."

She said Simon, an administrator, of May Tree Close, Badger Farm, had suffered depression in the past and had an emotionally draining job.

Mr Pegg recorded a conclusion of suicide. He said: "It is evident from friends that they held him in high regard. He was funny, intelligent, understanding and compassionate, a family man.

"Simon's family and many friends would have been there for him had they known he needed such support."