Derby man shares supportive messages on bridges

Rocco Hawkins suffered with depression after he was assaulted

A man who considered taking his own life is hoping to help others by putting up supportive notices on every bridge in a county.

Rocco Hawkins said he suffered with depression following a serious head injury last year.

After getting professional help, the 36-year-old said he now felt "like a new man".

He now wants to help others by putting messages about his story on every bridge in Derbyshire.

Mr Hawkins, from Spondon in Derby, said he had depression last summer following an assault earlier that year.

He said he made two attempts to take his life on a bridge but was stopped by police both times.

"I can't remember feeling anything, I was just numb," he said.

On two occasions police stopped Mr Hawkins on a bridge in Derby

Mr Hawkins was later admitted to a mental health unit in Derby and said five months later he left feeling "like a new man".

On a recent trip to the supermarket, Mr Hawkins drove under the bridge he was stood on.

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He said: "I was thinking, 'God, I was up there'. It came back to me and I was like, 'What was I doing?'

"I wanted to do something to put on the bridges for someone that is going on there struggling just to try and distract their mind."

Mr Hawkins is hoping his notices will help others considering taking their own life

Mr Hawkins is aiming to visit every bridge in Derbyshire to put up suicide prevention signs and a letter sharing his story.

So far he has walked to nine local bridges as part of his daily exercise and is planning to cycle to those a bit further away.

He said he was saving the bridges much further away until last in the hope that coronavirus travel restrictions will have been relaxed by then so he can be driven to them.

If you have been affected by the issues raised in the report, help is available from BBC Action Line.