A "gentle, intelligent and loving" artist's father has hit out at a £30,000-a-month rehabilitation retreat in Spain after he took his own life.

Artist Christopher Oldfield, who was born in Canterbury and grew up in Doddington, died at Camino Recovery in Velez, Malaga, on July 9.

An inquest at Archbishop's Palace, Maidstone, heard how the 35-year-old had a long history of mental health problems, including depression and Borderline Personality Disorder.

After countless efforts to try and get better, including multiple stays as an inpatient, a private psychiatrist and retreats abroad to Amsterdam and Malaga, Mr Oldfield took his own life.

He had a history of suicidal ideations, including a previous attempt to take his own life, as well as cannabis and alcohol abuse dating back more than a decade.

After signs of improvement his mental health took a turn for the worst after visiting a "psychedelic retreat" in Amsterdam, which saw him check into a Nightingale Hospital as an inpatient and monitored.

Still in a depressed state, but showing no signs of suicidal thoughts, Mr Oldfield, along with his father, former High Sheriff of Kent Richard Oldfield, decided to book into the expensive Malaga retreat for six weeks after it was recommended to him.

The retreat's website says a 30-day stay costs around £30,000. It helps people living with addiction and mental health problems, including OCD, depression, anxiety, trauma and eating disorders.

Coroner James Dillon explained how the former High Sheriff saw his son off at Gatwick airport at the beginning of July.

On July 9, Mr Oldfield had been for a swim with other patients at the retreat before telling them he was going to take a shower.

The court heard how the former teacher barricaded the door before taking his own life.

His cause of death was given as a ligature around the neck.

A note found in his notebook read: "I'm just so very sorry."

Mr Oldfield's wife, Angie Oldfield, described the father-of-two, who was also a devoted step-father to her son, as an incredible partner.

She said: "He was gentle, intelligent, loved and loving. There was a lot of happiness in his life. He was really, really trying to get better."

Richard Oldfield said his son was responsible for his own death, but it shouldn't have happened at an establishment like Camino, and questioned its ability to deal with people suffering from depression.

He told the court: "The suicide watch provisions should have been stronger and Camino ought to have been in touch with Angie when it became clear Christopher was suicidal.

"I am also doubtful whether Camino is really equipped to deal with depression dissociated from addiction."

Richard Oldfield questioned whether or not management at Camino - which include programme director Don Lavender, his wife Meena and stepson Ameet, who is a clinical director - was sufficiently robust.

He added: "Don Lavender recognised in his conversation with me on July 18 that they failed Christopher."

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The coroner heard from Richard Oldfield that his son was placed on suicide watch the night before his death.

He explained how Christopher's mother died when he was only eight years old and he had suffered depression from the age of 18, before attempting suicide in 2012.

"There were frequent periods of remission, and since his relationship with Angie many of these periods were very happy," he said.

"He had a loving and lovely marriage, and two children and a stepson who him and he them.

"I and the rest of his immediate family loved him very much and he was loved by many friends.

"He was a very talented painter, rated by his art teacher as the best artist he had come across in over 40 years of teaching."

It is the second tragedy in recent years to hit the Oldfield family.

Richard's son, and Christopher's brother, Henry, died in Columbia in 2018 after taking alcohol and drugs.

His other brother, Downing Street advisor Ed Oldfield, was caught up in controversial comments which led to Boris Johnson's former press secretary, Allegra Stratton, stepping down from her role last December.

Camino Recovery has been approached for comment.