TOUCHING tributes have been paid to a popular young dad found dead at the home he shared with his partner and baby son.

Skateboard enthusiast and hard-working engineer Nathan Heard was just 22-years-old when he took his own life.

An inquest heard he had been "very tired" and "down" but that he had never indicated that he would harm himself.

Now his partner and his family have spoken out about mental health issues and have paid tribute to a "beautiful, wonderful son" and an "awesome dad."

His partner, Abbie Sewell said: "Nathan was an amazing guy. He was an awesome dad. I still can’t believe he’s gone. Mental health is not looked at the same as physical health, the sad reality is you’ll never notice it till it’s too late.

"Losing him was the worse thing I could ever go through. No one should have to go through this. He was the light in my darkness and I will love him so much still for the rest of my life, he will always have a place in my heart and he will live on through his son. I just wish he could be here with us to watch him grow into a wonderful young man just like his dad was."

Nathan's sister, Abbie Heard said: "I'll always love you Nathan, miss you forever" and his parents, Morris and Debbie, penned a message to their son.

It said: "You were so talented. You were a wonderful engineer and welder, a brilliant skateboarder known as the Tre flip king. Kings Park was your favourite place.

"Your sense of humour was so funny, you made everyone laugh.You weren't scared of anything or anyone. You were a father to a gorgeous little boy, George, who you loved and looked after. We miss you, we love you, our beautiful wonderful son. Rest in peace."

A Bournemouth inquest heard Miss Sewell discovered Nathan's body at the home they shared in Markham Road, Winton, on July 29. He had hanged himself.

The inquest heard that Nathan, an engineer at AMTec in Bournemouth, had been to the pub the day before his death and had some friends round afterwards.

He and Abbie fell asleep on the sofa but when she woke up she found his body.

Mr Heard's father, Morris Heard, told the inquest: "He was always very, very tired. He had just had a baby and there was an awful lot of pressure."

Nathan was well-known and popular within the skating community and was a former pupil of Winton Primary and Winton School.

A post mortem examination revealed that he died of asphyxia due to hanging.

Mr Allen concluded that his death was as the result of suicide.