A grieving mum told of her devastation after flowers she left at the site of where her “gentle giant” son took his life were stolen.

Annie Harlow was overwhelmed with sorrow when she placed the colourful bouquet next to a Herne Bay road shortly after Lee died, aged 32.

But the courageous mother has been forced to relive the trauma after, this week, the artificial roses commemorating him were taken from the Bullockstone Road bridge.

The well-known bartender took his own life in August 2021 after battling depression for 25 years - the flowers had been on the overpass ever since.

Mrs Harlow said the memorial’s removal displayed a side to the town she did not like to see – and called those responsible “scum”.

“When I put them up there, it was very emotional for me – I had tears streaming down my face,” she added.

“It brought the three years all back raw again. I secured the artificial roses very well and were tied in several places in knots to the bridge fencing and there was a card to Lee on there.

“Someone obviously thought that they were lovely and took them.

“It just shows how things have changed in the past three years since the bridge was originally decorated to the full.

“Not a soul touched it. There were gifts of beer, teddy bears etc. Not one thing was removed. I think it shows that Herne Bay is not as it was.

“Four out of five suicides are male and it's the biggest killer of young men under the age of 45 but never do you see this on the national news.”

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Raised in Wilmington, Lee attended Hextable Secondary School in Swanley, where he blossomed as a dancer.

Annie says he helped to secure lottery funding for the school through his performing and was even talent-spotted by Greenwich dance agency.

It was not until 2005 that the family moved to Herne Bay, and Lee started to ply his trade as a bartender.

He was known in the seaside town for pulling pints at the Diver’s Arms, Druid’s Head and the Prince of Wales pubs, with his funeral seeing scores of mourners line the streets.

Lee had been battling depression since the age of seven and even sought help from a number of services.

But his family was told early on August 24 three years ago of his tragic suicide, after police were called to Bullockstone Road amid reports of “concern for a man”.

Paying tribute to the 32-year-old, his family and friends described him as a “gentle giant” with a heart of gold whose death tore a hole in the fabric of Herne Bay.

Mum Annie said at the time: “He was gentle, kind, selfless and beautiful. Everybody knew him in Herne Bay, and he was there for everybody.

“He was a showman behind the bar. If there was music on, he’d be dancing – and people loved that. He wasn’t the boring barman.

“He made people happy and was an entertainer, although he was broken inside.”

Anyone can contact Samaritans FREE any time from any phone on 116 123, even a mobile without credit. This number won’t show up on your phone bill. Or you can jo@samaritans.org or visit www.samaritans.org