A YOUNG husband who had financial difficulties after the collapse of Carillion took his own life at home in Carterton, the Oxfordshire coroner concluded today.

Nigel Charles Tonkin, 28, was found in his York Road home on Thursday, February 8, Oxford Coroner’s Court heard.

After the collapse of Carillion, Mr Tonkin – a self-employed plumber who had sub-contracted to the company – was left with ‘significant debts’.

However, friends, family and colleagues said that he had shown few signs of distress prior to his death and a GP report showed that he had no history of mental health issues or anxiety.

Coroner’s officer David Freeman described him a 'well liked, respected and hard-working young man'.

A post mortem found no alcohol or drug use and the coroner said he saw no evidence of third party involvement.

Born in Hong Kong, Mr Tonkin served in the RAF until 2014, before re-training as a plumber and setting up West Oxon Plumbing and Heating.

A customer and colleagues had raised concerns that Mr Tonkin had not been seen for days nor answered his door, while his wife Victoria was in the USA with the RAF.

She said he ‘seemed fine... completely normal’, when she last saw him.

But three days later, on February 5, he sent a 4.40am text message about transferring his landline to a colleague - something coroner Darren Salter deemed ‘significant’ in concluding it was ‘likely’ he died ‘on or about’ that day.

He said he was satisfied, given the evidence, that Mr Tonkin deliberately killed himself.

Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123.