An inquest has been opened into the death of a musician in Bury St Edmunds who believed he was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ.

Colin Christopher Currie, 26, originally from Leytonstone, died on August 25, 2017, at West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds.

Mr Currie's was found near West Suffolk College on August 22, in area known as the Dip, where he had been seen to fall to the ground by a member of the public, who thought he was drunk.

It was later discovered he had sustained injuries to his head and died three days later in hospital on August 25.

During the first day of a four-day inquest, Suffolk Coroner's Court heard evidence from his mother, Bernadine Scott-Currie.

Miss Scott-Currie said: "Colin was very gregarious, he loved singing, writing and he was a champion for the underdog. He was very sensitive.

"As he became older he found living life very difficult, he told me it felt like his brain was running at 100mph and that it was difficult to sleep at night."

Mr Currie's GP, Dr Peter Neil, of the Swan Surgery in Bury St Edmunds, saw him over a four-year period up to his death.

During this time, mental health services gave and rescinded different diagnoses for Mr Currie, including paranoid schizophrenia, drug-induced psychosis and ADHD.

Dr Neil said Mr Currie suffered repeatedly from episodes where he believed he was Jesus Christ and that he had a secret that instructed him to kill people.

Mr Currie admitted to his mother, his GP and other healthcare professionals that he was self-medicating with illicit drugs.

In July 2017, Mr Currie, who was known to Suffolk police, had also assaulted his mother and attempted to strangle a man at a cash point, the inquest heard.

Mr Currie was sectioned and taken to the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust's (NSFT) Poppy Ward in Ipswich on August 11, 2017. He was initially separated from other patients and staff due to his drug-induced psychosis and violent behaviour.

During this time his mother called to tell the hospital she did not want her son to return home as she feared for her safety.

After his discharge from hospital, Mr Currie was given temporary accommodation at Ipswich's Cavendish House homeless shelter.

Following Mr Currie's death a Serious Incident Requiring Investigation (SIRI) report was carried out by the NSFT into his treatment on the Poppy Ward in Ipswich.

The inquest continues.