THE family of a man who committed suicide have called for there to be more teaching about mental health.

Llewellin Charity, aged 40, known as 'Stan' was found hanged on April 3, at a secluded cottage which his family owned in Longtown, close to the Welsh border.

Mr Charity who lived in Clifford, went to the cottage when he felt low and he said it was his favourite place to be.

It had no electricity, running water or phone signal and was only accessible through a field.

County Coroner Mark Bricknell concluded that his death was suicide at an inquest held at Hereford Town Hall on Wednesday.

Friends became concerned for his welfare after Stan had missed a pub pool match and went to search for him at the cottage.

Following the inquest his sister Billie Charity-Prescott wants more to be done to teach people about mental health.

She said: "I didn't recognise or understand my brother's mental illness.

"He kept it incredibly well hidden from others, and he went to great lengths to keep it that way. Mental health needs to be talked about, openly and without stigma.

"It needs to be covered at length in schools; it needs to be taken seriously. We need mental health services to be widely available, well-staffed and properly funded.

"And we need to believe that keeping people mentally healthy is as important as keeping them physically healthy, without making any judgments about the distinction.

"Stan has left an unbearable, painful gaping hole in all our lives, though I take comfort that he is now free from his pain; that he has found peace at last.

"I simply wish, with all my heart, that there could have been another way."

Ms Charity-Prescott told the inquest that her younger brother had suffered from low moods but was taking no medication for it.

"He came to me and was obviously low so we went for a walk," she said.

"I could see he was really low and I said that I arrange a doctors appointment for him. The next day I went to see him and Stan said that he was really sorry and was just having a bad day.

"He convinced me that he was fine but the next day he disappeared."

His friend Paul Roberts said that Stan had become one of his best friends after joining The Castlefields pub pool team.

"He was a quiet person and never wanted to join the rat race," said Paul.

"He took small jobs to make enough money to get by but he was frustrated that money didn't come easy. He was a very happy person and always up for an adventurous holiday.

"He would often go to the family cottage for a few days."