The father of a “kind” 21-year-old who died after being hit by a train near Beaconsfield has revealed plans to fund counselling for young adults in the town.

Paying tribute to young Robert Bentley – who died on the afternoon of Friday, April 28 – heartbroken father, Vincent, has told the Bucks Free Press he hopes to turn “the pain of losing his son to something positive that he would have been proud of”.

The Waller Road resident’s death came after a secret struggle with a mental health problem, exacerbated by private therapy proving to be too expensive.

Vincent Bentley said: “Robert’s death left me with the feeling that I was powerless to prevent it.

“The ‘what if?’ question is in my thoughts everyday but it cannot change Robert’s outcome.

“I cannot bring him back, but maybe I can prevent other parents from experiencing the pain that we have now.”

Following his tragic death, relatives have started The Robert Bentley Memorial Fund, with money set to fund counselling for “those that urgently need it”.

Vincent added: “After Robert’s death I realised that other young people may be in a similar situation unable to cope with their problems alone, unable to talk about it with family or friends.

“Or perhaps they are unwilling to accept that they may have a mental health problem because they think that there is some sort of stigma attached to those that do.

“My son did not accept that he may have had a mental health problem and neither did those officials with the power and responsibility to do so.

“He was on minimum wage and private therapy was out of reach due to his limited income.

“It is possible to speak to someone in one of the many mental health call centres but you often are left feeling that you get what you pay for.

“If you have a mental health problem you have to know this yourself otherwise you won’t do anything about it.

“If you have problems with life, they are just problems that you think you can deal with.

“What young person would make the connection between their day-to-day problems and their mental health?”

It is hoped that the new charity will be officially launched in June, with family currently preparing for Robert’s funeral on Friday.

Tributes have poured in for the 21-year-old following his death last month, with floral arrangements set to be displayed at Beaconsfield Railway Station over the weekend.

Speaking about his son, Vincent said: “He was capable of great kindness and concern. He was a very sensitive young man but was good at hiding it.

“He befriended several people in need of a bit of support and he quietly helped them out without bragging about it.”

For more information about the memorial fund, visit www.robertbentley.org.uk