A BEREAVED son has called for more support for people struggling to cope after his dad fell to his death following the loss of his 'soulmate'.

Danny Ferguson, 67, died on Commercial Road, Weymouth on January 20 after suffering from a series of severe depressive episodes following the death of his beloved wife, Georgina, on May 21, 2014.

At an inquest in to Mr Ferguson's death, his son David spoke of how his father was 'lacking in spark' after the loss of his wife, which came just four days after she was diagnosed with cancer.

David criticised the level of counselling and ongoing support that his father had received from health services following his wife's death and the amount of drugs he was prescribed to try and help him through his depression.

He said his dad was 'let down' and worried he had been discharged from a mental health unit too early following an incident in October when he had gone to a multi-storey car park and deliberated for two hours about ending his life before deciding not to do so.

"He wasn't coping. He was trying but he just couldn't get over it. He was breaking down a lot and he just couldn't talk about it," David said.

"He was let down by them. He was worried about coming out of the Linden Unit. He didn't think he was ready."

Speaking to the Echo following the inquest, David thanked the local community who had rallied round his family following his father’s sudden death.

Hundreds of people attended the funeral, and Weymouth Football Club also presented a shirt on the pitch to the family before their match with Chippenham Town in January, as Mr Ferguson was an avid supporter of the Terras.

The club also installed a plaque in the smoking section of the Bob Lucas Stadium in his honour.

David, who has two young daughters with his wife Lucy, said: “The club were brilliant after dad died, they gave us a shirt and also installed a plaque in the smoking area, and I can’t thank them enough.

“It affected so many people, and hundreds of people came to his funeral which just shows how popular he was. Everyone has been really great with me and I would just like to say thank you to everyone who attended the funeral, the football club and the local community for what they did after he died.

“I haven’t got a lot of family now, we have had another daughter which has helped keep us going.

“I have struggled since his and my mum’s death, and I miss them massively, but you have to keep going and the support from local people has helped me.”

Mr Ferguson had worked on the railway lines maintaining the tracks for 40 years.

He also cared for his wife after she lost her sight.

Speaking at the inquest about his mother's death, David said: "He [Danny] had lost his soulmate and his drive in life."

Richard Middleton, deputy assistant coroner for Dorset, recorded that Mr Ferguson had died at 1.10pm on January 20 on Commercial Road.

He said that he was satisfied beyond all reasonable doubt that Mr Ferguson 'died by a deliberate act' which resulted in him taking his own life.

SPEAKING at the inquest, which was held on Stafford Road in Bournemouth, Andrew Thornton, consultant psychiatrist for older people for Dorset Healthcare Trust, said Mr Ferguson received continued support for his depressive episodes, as well as being prescribed medication.

Andrew Thornton, who is based in the Weymouth and Portland borough, listed the dates Mr Ferguson received contact from the team at Dorset Healthcare Trust and said his progress was continually reviewed by the mental health service team.

This included Mr Ferguson speaking to the team five days before his death when the immediate risk to himself was described as ‘low’.