Father of Wolverhampton-born TV presenter Mark Speight speaks on seventh anniversary of suicide

Speight, who presented BBC art show SMart committed suicide in 2008.

It is thought the 42-year-old had been unable to come to terms with the death of his fiancee, 31-year-old Natasha Collins.

Father Oliver Speight was told of his son's death on April 13, 2008.

And on the seven-year anniversary he phoned BBC Radio 5 Live to take part in a programme about suicide.

Mr Speight said of the moment he found out Mark was dead: "A young policeman said, in tears, 'we've found him'.

"I looked at him and I said 'come here let me give you a hug, what a thing to tell a father'.

"I smiled and he said 'why are you smiling'. I said, it's a funny thing, I'd just had lunch with Mark a few months ago and he was telling me all about SMart and his future and I smiled and said, 'Mark, that's bullshine'.

"He said, 'how do you know?'.

"I said, 'when do you spread as much of it around in life as I have you recognise it when it's coming back at you'."

Mark was a pupil at Regis School and Tettenhall College.

He had gone missing in London and his body was found six days later at Paddington Railway Station.

Mr Speight has since launched SP8 of the Art - the Mark Speight Foundation, set up in his son's memory to foster artistic skill and talent in children.

He said: "We find it's the most extraordinary, simulating thing I've ever done in my life.

"Every time I look up there I say 'Mark, just tell the guv'nor I ain't coming up there until I'm 113, I haven't got the time'.

"I've never questioned why Mark did it. I know why he did it - he just couldn't live without the love of his fiancee whom he'd lost in a bath, she'd slipped under the water and he was absolutely traumatised, as one would be because he was asleep.

"Here we are seven years later.

"I'm planning (to help) another 30,000 children. I just hope this gives some people that little bit of comfort to say, 'be positive'.

"As far as we're concerned he'll be there forever."