HEARTBROKEN Exeter mother Merie Densham believes her son may have killed himself because he could not cope with becoming a father.

Mrs Densham is convinced her son Scott Endicott, whose first child was born on July 30, took his own life on Bonfire Night because he was unable to deal with his emotions after the birth.

Scott, 22, from Wonford, was found in his white BMW near his grandmother's house in Silverton, near Exeter, on November 6 after an extensive search involving the police helicopter.

It appeared he had died from inhaling carbon monoxide.

Mrs Densham said Scott, who was born 11 weeks prematurely and was severely deaf, had been a happy-go-lucky young man with a keen interest in cars.

She said: "His deafness had made him very vulnerable but he was a normal young man. He loved his cars. He did some rallying and off-road racing.

"He was always looking for different cars and working on them. He wasn't like a boy racer. He liked to keep cars as original as he could.

"His favourite was a red Peugeot 205 GTi. He had only recently changed it for the BMW."

The family, including Scott's two older brothers, Glenn, 26, and Lee, 25, lived in Silverton and he attended Countess Wear, Exeter, and Stoke Canon primary schools.

They moved to Exeter six years ago and Mrs Densham now lives in Elliot Close, Stoke Hill, with Glenn in St Thomas and Lee in Wonford with their partners.

Mrs Densham said: "Scott was a wonderful young man and often returned to Silverton to stay with his aunt whose daughter Stephanie has cerebral palsy. Scott helped Stephanie a great deal and also his grandparents, who live in Silverton too."

Last year, Scott's girlfriend became pregnant and his son was born in July.

Mrs Densham said: "Scott was overjoyed. He could talk of nothing else.

"But later Scott became very depressed and had seen his doctor and was waiting to be referred to a specialist."

Mrs Densham believes her son may have been suffering from the male form of post-natal depression.

She added: "He was just so overwhelmed by his emotions over the baby he could not cope.

"But I knew something was going to happen like this.

"Weeks before, I had a vision of running to the police when they came to the door to tell me.

"But there was nothing I could do to stop it happening, nothing."

Scott's funeral is being held at the Exeter and Devon Crematorium next Tuesday at 1.15pm.

Mrs Densham has urged those attending not to wear mourning clothes. "I would love it if people just came in their normal clothes. Scott would have liked that."

Scott's girlfriend and his son are being comforted by friends and family at their Wonford home.

Police are not looking for anybody else in connection with Scott's death and the matter is now understood to be in the hands of the coroner for Exeter and Greater Devon.