A YORK man's death in an Acomb woodland has sparked a fundraising drive - backed by a former England and Spurs footballer - for a charity which seeks to prevent young suicide.

An inquest heard that former soldier Tom Beevers, 32, of Foxwood, was found dead in Acomb Wood last New Year's Eve, with efforts to revive him with CPR and a defibrillator unsuccessful.

Coroner Jon Heath said police were satisfied there were no suspicious circumstances or any third party involvement, and Tom had left a note.

He said relatives had said Tom had not settled very well after leaving the army three years before and had pleaded with him to seek help with his mental health issues.

The Coroner said he was satisfied Tom had intended to take his own life and concluded that his death was suicide.

The Press reported in 2010 how Private Beevers, then 21 and of Pocklington, and serving as a soldier, had faced up to one of the toughest patrolling challenges the Army had to offer when he joined an eight-man team from 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment taking part in Exercise Cambrian Patrol, a highlight of the British Army’s training calendar.

After leaving the army, Tom worked as a window cleaner for Wetherby-based company Clearview, and was part of a group of friends who played football after work every week on the Ings in Wetherby, some of them from Clearview.

Clearview boss Steve Watson, another regular at the weekly football sessions, said that when his workmates heard of Tom’s death, they wanted to do something to help his family and raise awareness of suicide among young men.

Their response was a 24-hour Footballathon, in which volunteer teams played in spells of two hours at a time, which raised £6,000 for Papyrus UK.

Fundraising organiser Thomas Wadsworth said Tom had left behind devastated friends and family, and footballers who had played with him every week were 'heartbroken, that we couldn’t help, that we didn’t see the signs and that there are two kids growing without a father.'

Mr Watson said former Spurs and England defender Michael Dawson had backed their efforts, having been personally touched by news of Tom's death after getting to know him previously when Clearview was working at his property.

He said Michael had been 'really good,' coming down and joining in a football session, posing for photographs and promising to help in anyway he could to promote our efforts.

Papyrus exists to reduce the number of young people who take their own lives. Papyrus Hopelineuk offers a confidential support and advice service for children and young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide and anyone concerned that a young person could be thinking about suicide. Call 0800 068 41 41, text 07860 039 967 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org.