Ex-Edgbaston star took own life after car crash Cricketer leaped from bridge while recovering from injuries
FORMER Warwickshire cricket star Tom Allin took his own life in a 200ft plunge from a bridge, an inquest has heard.
Tom, 28, who represented the county until 2013, died just months after suffering serious leg injuries in a head-on car crash.
The fast bowler’s body was found underneath the River Torridge Bridge in Bideford, Devon, shortly before 9pm on January 4.
Police later recovered three suicide notes at his home written to family and friends.
He was discovered by passer-by Kerry Parkin, who stopped to check on what she believed to be a pile of clothes in the middle of the road.
“A couple stopped,” she said. “A woman helped give directions on the phone to the police, while an older woman started to do chest compressions.”
Mrs Parkin recalled how the woman, who was not named during the hearing, continued the fight to save Mr Allin’s life for five minutes.
The Good Samaritan was then assisted by the first police officer to arrive at the scene, Pc Christopher Challenor. The pair continued to carry out CPR until paramedics arrived minutes later – but all efforts to save the Edgbaston star proved unsuccessful.
The inquest heard that on October 31 last year Mr Allin had been involved in a road accident on the A39 near Clovelly, and had to be cut free from his car.
He underwent surgery after fracturing his leg and was said to have been recovering well physically from his injuries.
But his parents, Tony and Bever- ley, told the hearing at North Devon Civic Centre, in Barnstaple, that he had had a tough time.
Mrs Allin said her son had been through several “tough months” leading up to his death.
“This started in early October last year when his brother was seriously ill in hospital,” she said. “It was felt he may not survive. This really shook up Tom.
“Then, at the end of October he was involved in a road traffic collision in North Devon and suffered serious leg injuries. He became very low.
“Leading up to the week before Christmas, I said to him that I didn’t think he was getting better and I would have to get him some help. But over Christmas and New Year he seemed to be getting back to himself.”
The court heard that Mr Allin had told a nurse at his GP practice in early December that his mood was “up and down” and they had suggested he speak to someone about it.
Girlfriend Abigail Tanton said he had been upset following the road accident but by Christmas things had appeared to be “back to normal”.
“Tom was living back home at his house and he seemed to be back to how we were when we first got together,” she said.
The bowler was on the books of Warwickshire for six years before returning to his native Devon in 2013. Since then he had worked as a professional cricket coach.
Dr Elizabeth Earland, senior coroner for Exeter and Greater Devon, recorded a conclusion of suicide.
“It is not my practice to read out the notes but they indicate Tom’s intention was to kill himself,” she said.