A former soldier from East Sussex killed himself after breaking up with his girlfriend, an inquest heard.

Oliver Carter, 21, of High Street, Uckfield, drove his Nissan Primera off the cliffs at Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, in June.

An inquest heard Mr Carter, known as Ollie, had been discharged from the Army the previous year, when he was diagnosed as having a depressive illness.

Coroner Alan Craze heard Mr Carter had previously attempted suicide and had been placed on the antidepressant citalopram.

Toby Carter, his brother, also from Uckfield, told the inquest that since his brother had left the Army after four years' service, he had taken a number of jobs and had moved in with him.

Mr Craze said: "He didn't have a very clear run through life. He had a lot of problems."

Toby Carter said: "I saw him six hours before his death. It was the best I had seen him for a good long while that night."

The inquest heard Mr Carter had left a suicide note and written a letter to his ex-girlfriend, which he sent before he died.

Mr Craze delivered a verdict of suicide.

His former step-father Len Ashby, an Uckfield town councillor, described Mr Carter as a "cuddly young man".