A man took a “deliberate” jump into the river from the town bridge at St Neots, a coroner said.

Patrick Kenny, 25, who had a history of depression, had been drinking heavily on the night he died, an online inquest in Huntingdon has heard.

Senior coroner David Heming recorded a suicide verdict on Mr Kenny, a mechanical engineer, St Neots.

Mr Kenny was seen jumping into the river in February and his body was recovered from the river at Little Paxton on March 17.

Mr Heming said CCTV film showed Mr Kenny walking backwards and forwards on the bridge with a “degree of anguish” before jumping into the water.

“If someone went into the river at that time of year there is only likely to be one outcome,” Mr Heming said.

At the beginning of the hearing Mr Heming raised concerns over the “deeply worrying” number of suicides which had taken place during the Covid-19 pandemic, saying this included six in a single weekend.

Mr Kenny, known as Pat, was described by family as being a “funny and caring” person who enjoyed snooker, darts and watching football.

The inquest heard that Mr Kenny had earlier sought help for depression and had been under treatment, but had made previous attempts to harm himself.

He was said to have been under increased pressure relating to the death of his father who had taken his own life ten years earlier.

A post mortem examination showed that Mr Kenny died from drowning and the effects of alcohol intoxication.

The inquest heard that a major search operation for Mr Kenny was mounted after he went missing, including a specialist underwater unit which was operating in poor visibility during its examination of the river.

Banks along the waterway were also searched by a specialist team during the hunt and his body was later discovered in the river near Little Paxton.

If you need help for depression or mental health issues, contact MIND, at: www.mind.org.uk or call: 0208 215 2243.