A top Italian DJ who was left paralysed after a horror car smash has taken his own life at the press of a button at a Swiss suicide clinic.

Fabiano Antoniani passed away after he was approved for euthanasia in a facility in the city of Forch, Switzerland this week.

The 40-year-old died surrounded by his family and his girlfriend after he battled for years to have approval from the Italian government to end his own life.

Mr Antoniani was left partially paralysed in 2014 after he was involved in a car crash. He had dropped his phone while driving and bent down to pick it up when he smashed into another car in the accident which changed his life forever.

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Top Italian DJ Fabiano Antoniani (pictured) was left paralysed after a horror car smash. He has taken his own life at the press of a button at a Swiss suicide clinic

Fabiano Antoniani (pictured performing) passed away after he was approved for euthanasia in a facility in the city of Forch, Switzerland this week

Mr Antoniani was left partially paralysed in 2014 after he was involved in a car crash. He had dropped his phone while driving and bent down to pick it up when he smashed into another car in the accident which changed his life forever

Fabiano Antoniani's girlfriend, Valeria Imbrogno, posted a heartbreaking message saying 'I wish this night would never end' on Facebook earlier this week

He campaigned for a change in the law in Italy to allow assisted suicide but the debate was shelved 11 times in Parliament after drawing strong opposition from the Church.

Marco Cappato, an activist who supported Mr Antoniani in his quest, also travelled with him to Switzerland and claimed the well-known DJ ended his own life pressing a button himself which contained a lethal substance.

He was forced to undergo a series of medical and psychological tests to determine whether it was something he did want before he was given the green light for the procedure.

Mr Antoniani (pictured with girlfriend Valeria) campaigned for a change in the law in Italy to allow assisted suicide but the debate was shelved 11 times in Parliament after drawing strong opposition from the Church

Last month the DJ from Milan sent a video to Prime Minister Sergio Mattarella begging him: 'Please, let me die. I live in a nightmare that never ends.'

The controversial case has since sparked a debate in Italy, with it now being said that Mr Cappato could face charges after helping Mr Antoniani to book tickets to travel to Switzerland.

Last month the DJ from Milan sent a video to Prime Minister Sergio Mattarella begging him: 'Please, let me die. I live in a nightmare that never ends.'

In a final statement before his death he added: 'Finally I have managed to arrive to Switzerland. I have arrived alone, without the help of the State. I will be relieved soon from this hell of pain.'

His girlfriend, Valeria Imbrogno, posted a heartbreaking message saying 'I wish this night would never end' on Facebook earlier this week.

Fabiano Antoniani is pictured with girlfriend Valeria. He campaigned for a change in the law in Italy to allow assisted suicide

The DJ was forced to undergo a series of medical and psychological tests to determine whether it was something he did want before he was given the green light for the procedure

Mr Antoniani (pictured with Valeria) made a televised appeal for the Italian government to intervene in his case

The debate about a change in the law in Italy was shelved 11 times in Parliament after drawing strong opposition from the Church

Flomena Gallo, the secretary of a pro-euthanasia charity called Association Luca Coscioni said they regularly have people contacting them and asking for help.

She said euthanasia in Switzerland costs around 10,000 EUR (8,510GBP) so is not something that is done on a whim.

She said: 'There are a lot of Italians who ask us for information about how to do it. In 2015, 225 asked us. Of those, 117 decided to go to Switzerland and not all of them decided, in the end, to die.

'Some of them, after some tests and medical revisions decided to come back to Italy. The question is to have the option of deciding for yourself.'