A ‘SELFLESS’ man took his own life so he wasn’t a ‘burden on his family’ after a years-long battle with depression and anxiety, a coroner’s court heard.

Thomas Geeling, 30, from Royton in Oldham, was last seen on Sunday, December 6.

His body was later found hanging near a farm in Lostock on December 14.

Bolton Coroners Court heard how Mr Geeling, who worked as a builder, “tried to make everyone else happy at his own expense” - with his dad, James, describing his cover of happiness as being ‘tears of a clown.’

Stephen Teasdale, Manchester West assistant coroner, described several setbacks affecting Thomas’ life - hopes of joining the Royal Marines and the police fell through - along with cannabis and cocaine use as a coping measure.

His dad described him as a “private person” who disliked troubling others with his problems.

Months before his death, he had been pulled over by police, where residual drug matter had been located, leaving him fearful he would be sent to prison.

He also lost his uncle shortly before his own death and and had gone through a cancer scare in 2018.

He seemed to be in “quite high spirits”, before he took his dad’s car, along with the house’s other vehicle keys, on the day of his disappearance.

Thomas was hugging relatives in the hours before he died - something Mr Teasdale “could be construed as him saying goodbye.”

Thomas’ body was found after a tracker on James' car led police to Chadwick Farm in Lostock.

James said: “He was very intelligent, very competent and very capable. If anyone met him, they wouldn’t believe he had anxiety of psychological problems whatsoever.

“My belief is he didn’t want to burden anyone with that level of information - it was his way of dealing with things in a selfless manner.”

Returning a suicide conclusion, Mr Teasdale said: “He could not see an improvement in the future and did not wish to be a burden on his family - that was his view and not the family’s view. He would have had a future; a bright future.”

James said he hoped to make people aware of the rate of young men killing themselves - and has since raised thousands of pounds for charity.

He said: “I would try and encourage people to listen. I would like to point people towards the figures of young suicides and make them aware.

“I would encourage anybody to go and support Papyrus.”

Papyrus, a charity for the prevention of young suicide, can be found at papyrus-uk.org.