
Keith Flint took his own life just days after splitting from his DJ wife and putting his house up for sale, it was claimed tonight, as a final picture emerged of the Prodigy frontman running a 5K race only 48 hours before he died.

The 49-year-old musician was found dead at his country mansion near Dunmow, Essex, at around 8am on Monday morning.

His band mates later revealed he had ended his own life, three years after he stated in an interview that he 'wasn't saving up for anything' and said: 'When I'm done, I'll kill myself'.

The last photograph of Flint showed him looking fit and well as he ran the Chelmsford park run in a personal best time of 21 minutes 22 seconds on Saturday morning.

Fellow runner, journalist Rob Hadgraft, tweeted the picture and wrote: 'Sad news about Keith Flint – comes only two days after he'd looked in great shape and spirits, storming round the Chelmsford Parkrun in a PB.'

Last night it was claimed Flint had fallen into depression after a split from his Japanese wife Mayumi Kai had forced him to put the Essex farmhouse on the market.

Final picture: Keith Flint, 49, in orange bandana and bright green leg warmers, completed the Chelmsford 5k run in an impressive 21m22s on Saturday morning just two days before he apparently took his own life

Tonight it was claimed Keith Flint (pictured right in 2001) had fallen into depression after a split from his Japanese wife Mayumi Kai (pictured together left in 2009) had forced him to put his Essex farmhouse on the market

Keith Flint, the colourful frontman of the band The Prodigy (pictured in 2010), has been found dead at his home this morning

The split from his wife may also have prompted him to start taking drugs again, The Sun reported.

Friends had feared Flint would not reach his 40th birthday because of his drug use – he admitted using cannabis, cocaine and ‘a lot’ of alcohol before becoming addicted to prescription drugs.

He admitted feeling suicidal at that time but insisted he could never have gone through with it, explaining: ‘I was a coward.’

He is also said to have wanted to sell The Leather Bottle pub in Pleshey, Essex, after anti-hunting protesters had laid siege to the venue.

In an interview with FHM magazine in 2015, Flint said he 'wasn't saving up for anything' and was 'cashing it all now'.

In his trademark outspoken way, he added: 'I've always had this thing inside me that, when I'm done, I'll kill myself. I swear to God that's not suicidal – it's definitely a positive thing. The moment I start sh***ing the bed is when you'll see me on the front of a bus.'

He also said: 'I'm not frightened of who I am; I just want to look back and know that I've lived what I consider a fulfilled life. That's all. Happy days.'

Police found Flint unconscious this morning after 'concerns for his welfare' were raised. Paramedics attempted to resuscitate him but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Bandmate Liam Howlett wrote on the band's Instagram page: 'The news is true, I can't believe I'm saying this but our brother Keith took his own life over the weekend. I'm shell shocked , f***** angry, confused and heart broken..... r.i.p brother.'

Flint's wife Mayumi Kai - a DJ who the star credited with saving him from a life of drugs - is understood to be in Japan, having been playing gigs in Tokyo since the New Year.

Pictures of Keith Flint (middle) taking part in the Park Run even in Chelmsford two days before he was found dead at home

The music legend (right) is seen jogging next to other competitors in the Park Run 5km event in Chelmsford

Flint, who was 49, was pictured with fans last month during a tour of Australia. His band planned to tour the US next month

The band posted this message on Instagram this morning, suggesting the star had taken his own life over the weekend

Flint became the face of 1990s rave when his energetic dance style and punk haircuts made him one of the chart's most recognisable characters. His band were best known for their fast-paced songs including Firestarter, Breathe and Smack My B**** Up.

Neighbours of Flint's £1.5million rural home in Essex told of their shock at his death today, saying they often saw him riding his horse about the village, running or cycling.

A 70-year-old man who gave his name as Rye said he saw Flint out running 10 days ago.

He said: 'He was going at quite a pace and he looked really well. He was about to go on tour in America and I know in the past when he was about to go on tours - because they are so physically demanding - he would start a fitness regime to get ready for them. He always seemed really cheerful.'

Jane Addison, who lives nearby and walks her dogs along a track next to the property every day, remembered Flint fondly as a 'friendly' animal-lover.

She said: 'I don't know how many dogs he had, maybe eight-ish dogs, and he'd go round the fields on his quad, and when he wanted them to come back to him he'd shout 'eggs and bacon'... He had lots of birds, canaries... in an aviary.'

Another local resident said: 'I saw the air ambulance this morning and the police were round this morning – I'm just in shock.

'He seemed alright, he just got back from his tour and goes out running everyday with his personal trainer. He is very fit.'

Police have not yet confirmed how the star, pictured (left) in 2011 and (right) in 2015, died. But they say the death is not being treated as suspicious

Flint (left), with bandmates Maxim and Liam Howlett at The Kerrang Awards in 2006

Flint's wife Mayumi - who is herself a DJ - is believed to have been on tour in her home country of Japan at the time of her husband's death.

Flint bought the country home and the surrounding estate in 1997 and his wife was given home rights last year.

Another local resident said today: 'He always put his hand up, always said hello, was always very pleasant. He was lovely, I met him a couple of times at drink dos, he was always very friendly and polite.

'He was always very well spoken to members of the community. He liked to ride and loved his dogs, the image you might think of him with rings in his nose was wrong, he was really nice.'

Police have not revealed the cause of his death, but said they are not treating it as suspicious.

An Essex Police spokesperson said: 'We were called to concerns for the welfare of a man at an address in Brook Hill, North End, just after 8.10am on Monday

'We attended and, sadly, a 49-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.'

Flint was found dead at his mansion (pictured) in the Essex countryside this morning. Bandmates said he took his own life

Dogs could be heard barking outside the address this morning and police could be seen coming and going from the house

Flint bought the country home and the surrounding estate in 1997 and as often seen riding through the village on his horse

Singer fined drinkers at his country pub for Firestarter jokes Keith Flint was known for his sense of humour among villagers in Essex after he moved to the country a decade ago. The singer bought the Leather Bottle pub in Pleshey, Essex in 2014. Local journalist Steve Anglesey told today how he would keep a money box above the fire place and charge drinkers if they made a joke about his famous Firestarter hit. Mr Anglesey tweeted: 'Whenever he put the logs and kindling in and someone piped up with the obvious joke, he'd point to it and charge them a quid.' Speaking at the pub today, local Les Taylor remembered Flint, saying: 'We were sitting here one day and this guy came strolling in and it was Keith. 'He was only a little fella, about five foot seven, he had a cap covering his hair, I think he had riding boots on, he'd come down on his horse from his house up the next village, and he said 'Hello everyone, how the f*** are ya?' 'That was the way his character was, very spicy, very friendly.' He said Flint used to drink an amber ale called Firestarter after one of The Prodigy's most famous hits, which he said he thought was brewed locally. Advertisement

The local ambulance service said they also attended Flint's house after he was found unconscious, but paramedics were unable to save him.

An East of England Ambulance spokeswoman said: 'We were called at 8.08am with reports of a man who was unconscious in Brook Hill, Dunmow.

'We sent an ambulance officer, Essex and Herts Air Ambulance and one ambulance. Sadly a man in his forties died at the scene.'

Flint's bandmate's said in a statement on Twitter: 'It is with deepest shock and sadness that we can confirm the death of our brother and best friend Keith Flint.

'A true pioneer, innovator and legend. He will be forever missed. We thank you for respecting the privacy of all concerned at this time.'

Meanwhile, stars from around the world of music and showbusiness reacted with sadness to news of Flint's death this morning.

Actress Kathy Burke tweeted: 'He did what all music stars are meant to do; he frightened your mums and dads. RIP Keith Flint.'

Ed Simons of The Chemical Brothers tweeted: 'Oh gosh, so sad to hear about Keith Flint, he was always great fun to be around and very kind to Tom and I when we first started doing shows together.. great man.'

Radio broadcaster Jo Whiley tweeted: 'Oh this is sad news. The death of Keith Flint. Whenever our paths crossed he was an absolute sweetheart. Really lovely. Incredible iconic frontman with a soft centre. #RIPKeithFlint.'

Electronic music duo Chase and Status said: 'Absolutely devastated to hear the tragic news that the legend Keith Flint from @the-prodigy has passed away.

'Our thoughts & condolences are with all his friends and family. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Keith and the life changing music they made and championed. RIP.'

The Prodigy released their latest album No Tourists in November, their seventh consecutive number one record.

They had recently returned to the UK from a tour of Australia and were planning to head out to South and North America for a series of concerts next month.

They planned to tour a number of festivals in Europe this summer before playing at Clapham's South West Four event in August.

DJ Nick Grimshaw posted this photo of the star in the Firestarter video and told how The Prodigy changed his life

A number of stars from the world of music have paid tribute to Flint online, calling him 'iconic, legendary and innovative'

Star's group were due to play Glastonbury Keith Flint's The Prodigy were booked to play at the Glastonbury festival this summer, it emerged today. Shortly after the singer's tragic death was announced, Glastonbury's co-founder Emily Eavis went on Twitter to pay tribute. She wrote: 'He's played here so many times with the Prodigy and was booked for 2019. What an incredible frontman.' Advertisement

Glastonbury's co-founder Emily Eavis has confirmed The Prodigy were booked to perform at this summer's festival.

Posting on Twitter hours after the news was confirmed, Emily told fans the iconic electronic band had been booked for the 2019 festival, after previously headlining the world famous event in 1997 and 2009.

'We are so saddened to hear about the passing of Keith Flint. He's played here so many times with the Prodigy and was booked for 2019,' Emily wrote.

'What an incredible frontman. Here's a clip from '97 when they were the first dance band to headline Glastonbury - a huge, unforgettable moment,' she added, alongside video of the band's legendary performance.

In an interview in November, bandmate Liam Howlett insisted they were not a 'retro band' and strived to give their newest music a freshness.

He said: 'We're not a band that are embarrassed of our roots. We own that sound, we created it. We're not interested in reinventing ourselves, because we're happy with ourselves - we don't need to.'

For confidential support in the United States call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255.

For confidential support in the UK call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.

For confidential support in Australia call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14.

'Best I've ever seen them': Fans said Flint was in glowing form in his final show with The Prodigy a month ago Flint during his last gig with The Prodigy in New Zealand last month Fans said Keith Flint's final concert with The Prodigy was the best they had ever seen. The band had playing in Australia and New Zealand last month as part of their No Tourists tour. After decades of wowing crowds with his energy and vibrancy, Keith Flint played his last live gig with The Prodigy on February 5 in Auckland. Fans who were at the concert said he was in great form. One wrote on Instagram: 'Fourth time I have seen you this was best.' Another added: 'Awesome show. Prodigy never fail to deliver the goods.' The band were looking forward to their upcoming tour of South and North America. After the New Zealand concern, they wrote online: 'Auckland NZ you rocked , The roof was blown the f*** off!, big respect to everybody that came out , see u next time .. Colombia u are next!' The band's website was down today, replaced by a short message saying Flint had taken his own life. Advertisement

From angelic schoolboy to 'twisted firestarter': How The Prodigy's Keith Flint became the king of British rave music - before being banned by the BBC for his violent lyrics

With their graphic lyrics, ear-shattering sound and shocking music videos, The Prodigy took the music world by storm when they burst onto the scene in the early 1990s.

Their fame among young fans was aided by a series of controversies around their music, which teenagers loved to blare out in their bedrooms and crank up at house parties.

Their 1997 hit Smack My B**** Up was banned by the BBC and only a lyric-free version was played on Radio 1.

The video, which showed a reveller's-eye view of a debauched night of sex, drugs and violence was initially restricted to late-night only on MTV.

Flint is pictured as a schoolboy before he met bandmate Liam Howlett in a nightclub and formed the band The Prodigy

Flint's style led to the BBC's Top of the Pops show being sent letters by angry parents, who claimed their children were scared

Rave king went out with Gail Porter before wife saved him 'from drugs' Flint with Gail Porter in 1999 Keith Flint credited his DJ wife Mayumi with saving him from a life of 'drugs and sh***ing around'. The couple married in 2006 at a star-studded ceremony with guests reportedly including Liam Gallagher, Natalie Appleton and David Gest. In an interview with The Times three years later, he said: 'We were touring and she just walked into this room we were in, and you know how it is, I just couldn't talk, I was overwhelmed. 'I'd done my share of drugs and sh***ing around. We all like to get busy, but in truth I was a bit worn through with it.' Before meeting Mayumo, Flint had a year-long relationship with model Gail Porter in 1999. The couple were dubbed 'Beauty and the Beast' though Gail later insisted he was very different from his public image, describing him as 'lovely and gentle'. She tweeted today, saying she was 'heartbroken'. Advertisement

Smack My B**** Up was voted the most controversial song of all time in a poll conducted by the Performing Right Society (PRS) in 2010.

Firestarter also got a mixed reception, with outraged parents bombarding Top Of The Pops with letters, complaining that Flint was 'scaring' their children.

Keith Charles Flint was born on September 17 1969 in Redbridge, East London.

He said in an interview he had an unhappy childhood and hated being at home. He said he was 'on the spectrum somewhere' and had 'a dysfunctional side', despite having a high IQ.

As a child he moved to Braintree, Essex, where he met The Prodigy co-founder Liam Howlett at a nightclub.

They discussed music and realised they shared a taste for harder, club-ready sounds.

In the late 1980s, Flint trekked around Middle East and Africa, but returned to Essex and immersed himself in the acid house scene.

Originally a dancer for The Prodigy, Flint was promoted to singer after he provided the vocals on the band's song Firestarter, a track which propelled them to the mainstream.

Originally a dancer for the group, Flint was promoted to singer after he provided the vocals on the band's song Firestarter, a track which propelled them to the mainstream.

When the band released the video for the 1996 single, Flint's performance was deemed too scary for children - meaning many music TV stations wouldn't play it until after 9pm.

Alongside band-mates Howlett and Maxim, Flint - known for his energetic and deranged performance style, shocking green hair and tattoos - became the face of British rave.

While the group were spoken of as bedfellows with other commercial dance acts like The Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim, they pioneered a harsher, more abrasive sound.

They reached number one in the singles charts with tracks Firestarter and Breathe in 1996, and went on to score seven number one albums.

But these songs were not usual dance pop fodder, instead drawing from sonic sounds inspired by the UK's illegal rave scene.

Known for their overt anti-establishment stance as much for their music, The Prodigy were vocal critics of the UK's Criminal Justice And Public Order Act 1994, which banned the raves popularised following the so-called second summer of love in 1988 and 1989.

And despite being accepted by the mainstream, they never submitted to the whims of passing musical fashion.

The Prodigy, pictured left in 1997, grew out of the underground rave scene. Flint carried his inimitable style into later life

The Prodigy were one of the most famous acts to emerge from the 1990s underground rave scene and go mainstream

The Essex band has never wholly belonged to any genre. Whether it was the emergent rave scene at the start of the nineties, Britpop later in the decade through to more recent dubstep and EDM - they were lurking, all the time selling millions of records and just as many tickets for their incendiary live shows.

In 2014 Flint bought and renovated The Leather Bottle pub in the Essex village of Pleshey.

He reportedly had a jar that customers had to put a pound into every time they made a 'firestarter' joke when he lit the pub's fire.

Robert Reilly, 28, who took the pub over from Keith in April 2017, said: 'Keith invested a lot of money in the pub and we've made a few changes since he left - we kept the wallpaper in the ladies' toilets - £150 a roll!

'He was well-known in the area and everyone knew him. I don't know why he gave it up but he came back once last year. It's a sad loss.'

The group released their seventh consecutive number one album in November 2018.

All but one of their studio albums hit the top spot in the UK charts, as well as a singles collection released in 2005.

This placed them alongside musical heroes including Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Coldplay and George Michael, each with seven number one records.

The group reached the height of their fame in 1996, when hits Breathe and Firestarter reached the top of the charts

As well as being famous for his music, fast-living Flint also raced bikes as a speedway racer. He is pictured racing in 2013