"I am a recovering alcoholic".

These are the words of a man who suffered from depression and alcoholism for the best part of 14 years.

A father-of-three, Lee Fuller, 32, from Newbury, has turned his life around after beating his inner demons by launching a mental health website for men.

Lee is a recovering alcoholic who has been sober for the last two years.

Basingstoke Gazette: Lee Fuller, right, said his councillor helped change his life after battling years of depression and alcoholismLee Fuller, right, said his councillor helped change his life after battling years of depression and alcoholism

He told the Gazette: "I hated my life and could not see a way out.

"From the outside looking in, I was fairly successful, I had my own business, my own home, a nice new van and money in the bank but I was emotionally, completely and utterly bankrupt.

"I had nothing left. I even struggled to get out of bed. I couldn't exercise, I was in constant pain and thought I was dying.

"What I actually had was depression in its purest form."

Lee grew up without doing "feelings or emotions" but it was made worse with his brick laying apprenticeship that he started at 16 years of age.

He became a product of his environment and thought success and happiness would come with money but it didn't.

Basingstoke Gazette: Lee left his job as a brick layer and attended film school Lee left his job as a brick layer and attended film school

"I tried to fix myself externally for years with women, drinks and drugs and hated the way I felt about myself when I was by myself.

"I grew up in a broken home and it took me a long time to get my head around that," he said.

Lee went to see a councillor who changed his life and helped him tackle alcoholism.

He started to think about what life could look like sober and realised he didn't want to be a brick layer anymore.

The 32-year-old got rid of his business, sold his house and went to film school.

And he is now pursuing his dream of creating an online platform to help men tackle their problems.

"Think man's health magazine but online. Envisage content that will be entirely free.

"We don't believe men need to pay to live healthy and happy lives to improve their mental health," Lee said.

The mental health advocate explained that most of the money for his business will be made through pubic speaking events and corporate companies.

His website, mentalitytheofficial.com, will go live at midnight on Wednesday, July 1.