Family and friends speak of shock after sudden death of 'beautiful boy' the day before mum's birthday

A mum has told of her heartbreak after her 32-year-old son who "was the life and soul of everything" took his own life.

JP Night had been at a friend's wedding the night before he was found dead at his home in Darwen, Lancs, on June 24 of this year. His mum Morag had been aware he had been up all night but thought he would sleep it off and had no concerns about him.

In the early evening of June 24, JP asked his best friend Helen Westwater to visit him. But when Helen arrived she tragically found him dead, LancsLive reports.

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At an inquest held earlier this week, September 27, at Blackburn Town Hall, JP's mum, who attended via video link, said: "He was a very stunning young man. We miss him dearly. He was the life and soul of everything and I don't think any of us have got over the shock of what has happened."

Best friend Helen, who worked alongside JP at Bolton-based Birtenshaw and who attended the inquest in person, added: "He was a beautiful boy. He was loved very much."

The inquest heard that a few years earlier JP had struggled with his mental health after being in two abusive relationships. However, thanks to the unwavering support of his mum and his friends, he overcame his issues. Just two weeks after he died he was due to go on holiday to Spain and had another break booked for October.

In a statement JP's mum revealed that the day after he died was her birthday. "Had he been in a headspace where he could make sense of things he would never have chosen to leave me with this memory of my birthday," she said.

JP, who