Around 3,000 middle-aged men kill themselves every year, with men in their 30’s, 40’s and 50’s from disadvantaged backgrounds being at ten times more risk than those from higher socio-economic groups.

This is a finding from Samaritans, the help-line charity, which warns that the decline in manual labour and the loss of a job has robbed some men of their identity, and sense of pride, power and control, aspects that many more are now facing alone, reluctant to seek help.

Samaritans are working with Network Rail in a five-year partnership to reach out to the vulnerable group and reduce suicides on the railways.