A FAMILY have paid tributes to their beloved daughter who took her own life.

Lucy Spears, 22, hanged herself while she was studying mental health nursing at Brighton University.

Her father, Colin Spears, said: “With Lucy gone there is now a hole in our lives and in our hearts that can never be healed.

“Her loss has been devastating for us, her family, and it’s proving almost impossible to come to terms with.”

Ms Spears’ family said she was smart, capable and had a bright future ahead of her.

She loved cycling and travelling and enjoyed her work placement at the Priory in Brighton, helping people with mental health issues.

But the beginning of last year proved difficult for Ms Spears, who was

also diagnosed with anorexia six months before her death.

Her three-year relationship with her girlfriend ended and a road accident left her fighting for strength with two broken arms and a broken jaw.

The injuries took a toll on her mental health and her depression reached a more serious level.

Mr Spears said: “It seems to us now that Lucy always struggled with stress and depression.

“Her career choice, mental health nursing, was her own attempt to tackle her issues.

Read more: Brighton University blamed for not helping 22-year-old student who hanged herself

“A manager at the Priory, where Lucy worked before going to university, commented on how good she was working with patients and went so far as to say ‘she undoubtedly saved many lives’.”