A family is desperate for help from health officials after discovering their eight-year-old boy had been writing heartbreaking suicide notes before trying to take his own life.

Over the past year, autistic boy Jack Rogan left agonising notes for his family to read saying "please everyone forget me", "I wish that mum would kill me" and that he hated his life.

But in October things took a drastic turn when the young schoolboy attempted suicide.

Mum Kerry Linnell, from Liverpool, rushed him to hospital but was turned away from the mental health ward after doctors told the family there were no beds available in its specialist unit.

Instead, the eight-year-old's family have been waiting several weeks for urgent help.

The warning signs began in 2016 when Jack started talking to his mum about taking his own life because he was struggling to cope at a new school.

And over the past year, the suicidal notes have become more frequent.

The suicidal notes say: "What is wrong with me?", "I hate my life", "I wish that mum kill me", "I don't know who I am anymore", "I wish I was normal but I'm not", "put me in a graveyard and say RIP to Jacko", "help me Mummy", and other messages revealing how he should die.

Kerry Linnell said her son Jack, eight, had been stuck in limbo waiting for mental health treatment for seven weeks. Photo / LFC TV

Kerry told the Liverpool Echo she feels helpless.

"It's a terrible situation, and it just tears me apart I'm not able to give him what he needs.

"Jack has written notes begging me to kill him, asking who he is, 'why am I such a bad person' and 'please everyone forget me'.

"He asked why he had no friends and said he wanted to be put in the ground with RIP over him.

"As he's getting older he realises how different the world is to him, and it makes him feel like a bad person.

"He would kick and punch me, pull my hair, bite himself and try to pull his ear off. Then he'd start sobbing afterwards and start saying those things."

With Jack being turned away from the mental health ward, he was offered a bed in a regular ward where there is no mental health treatment.

Kerry has been forced to give up work to care for Jack, sleeping by his side on a hospital couch every night to stop the eight-year-old from harming himself.

The family of Jack Rogan, who is autistic, said he has been writing suicidal notes and other shocking things over the past year. Photo / Justice For Jacko

Friends of the family have launched a "Justice for Jacko" Facebook page and a petition calling for more beds for children with mental health problems.

The petition has received 209 signatures, with an aim to reach 300 before being submitted to their local MP Stephen Twigg.

Since Kerry posted about Jack's struggling online, hundreds of people have rallied to support the suicidal eight-year-old.

Kerry told the Liverpool Echo her son had been inundated with cards and presents from all over the globe.

"I've had over 100 cards and 30 gifts from people - some from New Zealand - after I posted on Facebook.

"He thinks nobody loves him or cares for him, but he said 'I feel like I've gone up this much in feeling I should be here' (gesturing with his fingers about a centimetre apart).

"He said 'people everywhere really do love me don't they mummy?"

Jack Rogan wrote suicidal notes before trying to take his own life, prompting his family to look for help. Photo / Justice for Jacko Facebook

Messages of support and hope have flooded in for Jack reminding him how special he is.

Louise Abbott said: "You are surrounded by love particularly by your amazing mum Kerry. Other people on the outside think your an amazing young boy and would be delighted to have a friend like you.

"Mum is the medicine, talk to her and cry with her. You're loved so dearly and I hope you can get the support you fully deserve."

Another person wrote: "It's okay not to be normal mate there is millions of people around the world that are definitely not normal but its a good thing it makes the world better and a more interesting place to live."

If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.
Or if you need to talk to someone else:

• LIFELINE: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633
• NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7)
• KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757