Clarke Carlisle: stranger in the park saved my life during mental health battle

Former footballer Clarke Carlisle has revealed that a stranger persuaded him to speak to his family rather than take his own life.

The 38-year-old disappeared from home last month and sparked a missing persons appeal before he was found safe and well in Liverpool.

The ex-chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association has campaigned to raise awareness of mental health issues and launched the Clarke Carlisle Foundation for Dual Diagnosis - a condition that has been described as "mental health problems co-occurring with drug or alcohol abuse".

The former Burnley defender described his recent turmoil to presenter Adrian Chiles on his BBC 5 live Daily show.

He said he had been "strolling around" Liverpool and was "headstrong set on the most convenient way to kill myself" when a passing stranger intervened.

Carlisle said:

The man called Carlisle's pregnant wife, Carrie, and put Carlisle on the phone.

Mrs Carlisle told Chiles:

Father-of-three Carlisle spent three weeks in hospital and is now recovering at home.

In December 2014 he tried to take his own life when he jumped into the path of a 12-ton lorry on the A64 near York.