A soldier told his mother "be brave for me" minutes before he fell from the top of a multi-storey car park in Croydon, an inquest heard last week.

Vernon Sutherland, a 43 year-old ex-soldier, died from multiple injuries sustained from the fall on October 18 last year but his mother says it was his years spent in the army that slowly killed him.

His mother, Julia White, told Croydon Coroner's Court on January 31: "It was the action he'd seen in the army that killed him.

"He never got over the fact that his best friend was killed in front of him. He was very brave and I'm proud to be his mother.

"He bought himself out of the army and we fought for ten years for an army pension for him."

Mr Sutherland, who lived in Sutton, joined the army in 1978. He had served in Northern Ireland and at Warren Point but left in 1981.

Mrs White, from Park Hill Road in Croydon, said he had been depressed since leaving active service.

However his GP, Dr David Thomas, told the coroner Mr Sutherland "never expressed any suicidal intentions."

Mrs White added: "He did phone me at 8.20pm on Thursday evening.

"He sounded a bit strange and said be brave for me' and I said what's the matter, was he feeling unwell?' He just put the phone down."

Mrs White dialled 1471 and discovered her son had phoned from a call box in Croydon.

She added: "Because he was in Croydon I thought he would be coming home to see me soon."

PC Ian Payne, arrived at the scene at 8.50pm and saw a crowd gathered around a recycling container and a man lying on it.

A post mortem on October 23 revealed Mr Sutherland died from multiple injuries.

Coroner John Russell recorded an open verdict and told Mrs White: "We have evidence he meant to come and see you. His doctor said he never had suicidal intentions.

"I don't know whether he jumped or whether he fell accidentally.

"I do know he served his country. Thirty years ago soldiers where expected to keep a stiff upper lip. Thankfully we are a bit more enlightened today."