A FATHER-OF-TWO stepped in front of a lorry the day after he was released from a mental health unit.

Neil McGregor, 45, died after he was hit by the articulated lorry on the A130 near the Sadlers Farm roundabout at 12.30pm on Tuesday.

Mr McGregor had checked into Basildon Hospital’s mental health unit on Saturday, but was released on Monday.

He had previously tried to take his own life by stepping out in front of a van outside Basildon Hospital last October and had to have a blood clot removed from his brain following the accident.

Dr Patrick Geoghegan is the chief executive of South Essex Partnership NHS Trust, which is responsible for the Basildon mental health unit.

He said: “Obviously we express our sincere sympathy with Mr McGregor’s family.

“We, as a trust are instigating our own investigation and it would not be right to comment further until that investigation has been completed.”

Anyone with information about the accident should call Rayleigh Road Policing Unit on 0300 3334444.

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