A MENTALLY ill man killed himself by jumping in front of a train at Pilning Station just hours after warning an outreach worker he would do so, an inquest heard.

Andrew Dobson, 38, was killed instantly when he lay down on the track in front of the oncoming Cardiff to Westbury service as it went through Pilning Station, travelling at around 60mph, at 5.35pm on April 25 last year.

An inquest yesterday heard that Mr Dobson, who had a long history of mental health illness, had told mental health service worker Diana Parsons earlier that day he was thinking about committing suicide.

But Ms Parsons, a member of Bristol's Assertive Outreach Team, opted not to detain Mr Dobson under the Mental Health Act because she believed he was not suffering a psychotic episode.

Mr Dobson, who received treatment every two weeks, had been hospitalised in December 2006 after suffering a bad psychotic episode.

North Bristol Assertive Community Support Officer David Simpson spoke on behalf of Ms Parsons, who had left her post since the incident.

He said: "On Wednesday, April 25 I received a call from a support worker. The support worker said he was concerned about Andy and said he didn't seem to be himself.

"I arrived to his address. He was feeling down, he started talking about ending it all and talking about jumping in front of a train.

"But later he seemed to cheer up. If I had been concerned I would have called for a mental assessment."

PC Clive Ellaway, of British Transport Police, told the inquest what the train driver had seen.

He said: "The driver noticed a male stood on the left side of the station platform looking at him. He presumed he was a trainspotter.

"But the man walked to the platform edge. He didn't respond to the train horn. He jumped on to the track and laid across it.

"It took about a mile to stop the train."

Coroner Paul Forrest recorded a verdict of suicide and said: "Mr Dobson suffered from a long history of mental health problems exacerbated by drug use.

"He intended to take his own life on that day on April 25."

Speaking after the inquest, Mr Dobson's mother Gloria, of Station Road, Pilning, told the Gazette she did not understand why her son was not detained on the day he killed himself.

She said: "No one acted on the warnings given by Andrew that he was to jump in front of a train that day.

"I just can't help wondering why no action was taken, it is upsetting. It feels like he was let down by the people around him.

"He was a wonderful boy who was liked by everyone in and around Pilning. We miss him badly."