Inquest held into death of much-loved Sunderland man Ross Gawthorpe

The body of the 31-year-old was sadly found near to Herrington Country Park on September 28.

An inquest was held at Sunderland Coroner’s Court on Friday, December 6, which concluded that the cause of death was suicide.

Sunderland's senior coroner Derek Winter said: “I am so sad about the circumstances of Ross’s death.”

The inquest heard how Ross, from Penshaw, had been born in Sunderland on June 8, 1988, and had a job as a factory worker.

It confirmed that he tragically died on September 28.

Northumbria Police has said that there were no suspicious circumstances.

Dozens of tributes to Ross were left by loved ones and members of the community on Chislehurst Road, near to Herrington Country Park, shortly after he passed away.

Among them was a Sunderland AFC shirt with the words ‘RIP Ross’ printed on the back, which was pinned to a fence in the area, along with a ticket for Sunderland’s match against MK Dons at the Stadium of Light.

Balloons have also been left as part of the tributes.

One message left among the flowers reads: “Honestly still can’t get my head around that you’re gone and I’m never going to see you again. If only you knew how much you were loved.”

There was also an outpouring of sympathy and support for the family on the Echo’s Facebook page.