A MAN who nearly tried to take his own life at Didcot Parkway Station last week has called for better mental health services in Didcot.

Paul Young, who lives in Didcot, sparked a police incident and delayed trains on Friday afternoon when he climbed onto the bridge over the railway, before a quick-thinking driver came to his rescue.

The 32-year-old has suffered from depression and anxiety on and off for the past 15 years after a childhood of domestic violence in and out of care.

But last Thursday he said everything came to a head.

Mr Young, who works at a quarry north of Didcot, said: "There had been an arson attack at work and because I was the last person on the site, I had to be investigated.

"I was so worried because six months into my previous job I was made redundant and I was worried the cycle was going to repeat itself with this one."

Then, just when things looked at their worst, Mr Young's partner broke up with him.

He said: "I came home on the Friday to find she was gone."

On Friday afternoon, Mr Young said he went down to Didcot Parkway Station because he "didn't want to be here anymore".

At the station he went up onto the bridge over the railway.

He said: "I saw all these trains going past beneath me and I was on the phone to the police."

At the crucial moment, a quick-thinking train driver got out of his vehicle and came to help.

He said: "This train driver came up to me and said 'come on mate lets not do this' and he took me down and onboard a train going to Reading.

"The conductor sat with me the whole journey and made sure I was okay. I just started crying.

"When I got to Reading I told police to arrest me so I would get the help I needed under the Mental Health Act."

Mr Young said the kindness of the three workers restored his faith in society.

He said: "Now I am determined to get better and be a success.

"I want to find the men who helped me to show them how grateful I am and say tell them I am getting the help I need.

"For people who do not really know me to care about me like that makes me even more determined to get everything back together.

"Men are expected to be strong, like they can't get ill, but mental health problems can happen to anyone."

Although Mr Young praised the support he has now received from Oxfordshire Mind, work colleagues and his GP surgery, he said there need to be more mental health services in Didcot.

He said: "The trouble is, Oxfordshire Mind are based in Oxford, there is nothing here in Didcot for people to go to and just talk about what they are going through.

"That is what we need: a safe place where people can just go and talk.

"I want to do something about this and I want other men to speak out and push for the help they need."

James Davis, a spokesman for Great Western Railway, said: "Our helpful and friendly staff are highly trained, and we are very proud of the work that they do every day."