A man who leapt to his death when he jumped from the top of a council tower block was dying of cancer.

Known only as ‘Irish John’, the man in his 70s fell from the eleventh floor of Warwick Mount in Montague Street, Brighton, just after 12.30pm on Saturday.

Police were called to the address to reports of a suicidal resident – but he jumped by the time emergency services could arrive.

Yesterday neighbours said John was suffering from cancer and diabetes and believed he “didn’t want to be a burden on anyone”.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said: “I spoke to him Friday afternoon at about two. I don’t know his last name, just knew him as Irish John.

“He was a lovely guy but had been going through a bit of a bad time in the last year.

“He collapsed sometime last year and was in hospital for a while. He also had diabetes and cancer.

“For a man of his age, in his 70s, that’s a lot of stuff to take on board and being old-school I don’t think he wanted to be a burden on anyone. It’s so, so sad.

“I got a text from a neighbour saying someone had jumped and I found out it was John. Where he jumped from to where he landed, there was no chance.

“People say it’s a coward’s way out but it takes a lot of courage to do something like that.”

Another resident said Warwick Mount’s maintenance man was John’s nephew.

He said: “I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t want to come into work tomorrow.”

It is the second death at Warwick Mount within a matter of months.

In December man was stabbed to death in the early hours of Christmas morning.

Joe Lewis, 24, from Rustington, died from a stab wound to the heart.

Oliver John Parsons, 30, of no fixed address, will appear before Lewes Crown Court on March 20 charged with Mr Lewis’ murder.

In December 2010, Simone Back, Who also lived at Warwick Mount lied about committing suicide on Facebook, then died from a number of unknown health problems hours later.

In August 1999 Raymond Smith ended his life by leaping from a friend’s flat on the tenth floor of the block.

If you are feeling suicidal please call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90.