Tragedy: Alex Daniel, from Oxfordshire, hanged himself while out walking the family dog ahead of his A-levels

A former prep school pupil who was dreading his A-levels hanged himself while out walking the family dog, an inquest heard today.

Alex Daniel, 18, from Deddington, Oxfordshire, was severely dyslexic and as the exam season neared his parents, Peter and Caroline, began to remove potential hazards after their son had spoken openly about his suicidal thoughts.

The teenager was speaking regularly to mental health support workers and six months before his death he had unsuccessfully tried to hang himself.

On June 6 this year, the first day back after half term holidays, Alex had refused to go to school and spent most of the day in his bedroom.

But later in the evening he went to take the family dog, Otto, for a walk, but he was found dead by his parents who went looking for him.

Oxfordshire coroner Darren Salter said: 'On June 6 at 10.30pm a call was made by Caroline Daniel saying her son had hanged himself. Her son was removed from a tree but despite the efforts of paramedics life was declared extinct.

'He had been walking the family dog at the time of his death and no signs of other injuries were noted.'

In a statement, bereaved father Peter Daniels wrote: 'Alex was part of a loving and close family. He was born in London and moved to Oxfordshire when he was eight-and-a-half to be close to his prep school, Bruern Abbey.

'At 13 he moved to another school but got disappointing GCSE results and moved to Chipping Norton School to study for his A-levels.'

Mr Daniel said his sporty son, who had two brothers and a sister, had stopped playing rugby after a shoulder injury, and gave up Army Cadets at about the same time.

He wrote: 'Chipping Norton School was concerned about his low mood. He was prescribed anti-depressants but his attendance at school was increasingly sporadic.'

Mental health workers had told the family to remove potential ligature points after Alex confessed his previous attempt to hang himself, the inquest at Oxford Coroner's Court heard today.

Education: His family moved Oxfordshire from London when he was eight-and-a-half to be close to his prep school, Bruern Abbey (pictured)

His parents felt it was good for him to go out and enjoy the fresh air with family pet Otto, who Alex had known since the dog was a puppy, after he played truant from school on the first day back after the May half term break.

Coroner Mr Salter said: 'Alex had spent most of the day in his room and then walked the dog. When he had not returned by 9pm his parents were concerned and Mr Daniel set out to look for him on foot, while Mrs Daniel took the car.

'The couple went to the Windmill Centre, on the common in Deddington, Oxfordshire, and they noticed Otto, their dog, was alone.

'There was a wooded area and Mr Daniel saw his son - it appeared that he was leaning against a tree, but he wasn't leaning, he was hanging'.

A post-mortem examination report, written by Dr Sanjiv Manek, recorded the cause of death as asphyxiation due to hanging.

Alex's GP, Dr Michael D'Souza, noted that in 2015 he had told a school nurse that he had tried to commit suicide by hanging and that he was cutting himself with a penknife.

Jenny Guest, an occupational therapist from the adult mental health team at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, wrote: 'I met Alex and his parents during the three months I worked with him. During the last contact, on May 25, he seemed brighter than before and more spontaneous in manner.

'I asked Alex if he had thoughts about ending his life. He had identified nylon threads in the basement of the family home and I spoke to his parents on his behalf and they agreed to move them to a safe place.'

Alex was seen by one of Ms Guest's colleagues four days before his death, who found him to be in a low mood.

Despite a search of his bedroom at the family home in Deddington, Oxfordshire, no note was found but Mr Salter was satisfied that he intended to kill himself.

The coroner said: 'There were texts or messages in emails which although they did not say explicitly that he intended to take his own life, they talk about being fed up with life.'

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