A grieving Mid Sussex father says his son might still be alive if he had received better mental health care.

Stephen Tompsett, 22, was killed by a train on April 22, a mile south of Haywards Heath, after escaping from a hospital.

Speaking after an inquest in Haywards Heath, his father Geoff said he might still be alive if he had received the care he needed when he was a psychiatric patient at the Princess Royal Hospital in the town.

The carpenter, of Valebridge Road, Burgess Hill, said: "The family believes Stephen had given up all hope of receiving the help he knew he needed and, having absconded from detention, he sought final release from his torment.

"Although it is very disappointing he was able to escape and was not traced before the tragedy occurred, the family is concerned Stephen felt he had to act as he did."

Earlier, the inquest heard Mr Tompsett had first been referred for psychiatric help in 1996.

He experimented with recreational drugs as a teenager, which brought about a drug-induced psychosis in him.

Psychiatric consultant Dr Driuzair Siddiqui, of West Sussex Health and Social Care NHS Trust, said he prescribed drugs and Mr Tompsett seemed to improve. In 1999 he said there was no further evidence of a problem.

In December 1999, after his grandfather died, Mr Tompsett was again prescribed antidepressants.

Dr Siddiqui noted "mental deterioration" in July 2001 and Mr Tompsett was admitted to hospital.

The jury returned a verdict of suicide while the balance of Mr Tompsett's mind was disturbed.