The parents of a teenage girl have spoken of their anguish after she hanged herself over fears of telling them she might be gay.

In the months before her death, 14-year-old Elisabeth Lowe, known as Lizzie, had confided to friends that she thought she may be a lesbian, an inquest heard.

Her friends said she was scared of telling her parents and had struggled to reconcile her feelings with the family's strong Christian faith.

But Lizzie's father said her fears were 'misplaced' and that she would have received a 'wealth of love and acceptance'.

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Elisabeth Lowe had confided to friends that she thought she may be a lesbian. She was scared of telling her Christian family and killed herself, but her father said she would have had a 'wealth of love and acceptance'

The alarm was raised after Lizzie, from Didsbury in Manchester, sent a text to a friend at around 8.30pm on Wednesday, September 10, which concluded by saying '...stay strong. I am sorry.'

The friend told her mother who in turn alerted Lizzie's parents and the police, sparking a desperate search for her.

She was eventually found hanged in the Millgate Fields area of Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury at around 11.15pm.

Despite extended resuscitation attempts by paramedics, Lizzie could not be saved and she was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.

A post-mortem examination concluded she died from the effects of hanging and that she had no drugs or alcohol in her body at the time of her death.

She also had no diagnosable mental health problems.

Speaking about Lizzie's fears of telling her parents about her sexuality, a friend told the inquest: 'She said she wasn't sure if they (parents) would be ok with it. I told her that I didn't think it would be like that but she did not want to tell them.'

Floral tributes at the entrance to the park. She was described as a gifted student, sportswoman and musician who was outgoing, fun-loving and enjoyed the love and respect of many friends

The teenager found hanged in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury. Paramedics were unable to revive her

Some of Lizzie's friends admitted to the coroner that they had shared a feeling of 'sadness' with her and they had regularly talked to her, both in person and over texts and Facebook messages, about self-harming and having suicidal thoughts.

One told the hearing, in Manchester, that Lizzie, who was a top performer at school, a Scout and a musician in a Christian orchestra, had told her that cutting herself was a 'coping mechanism'.

Another said she was 'finding it hard to connect with God as she thought she was lying to him'.

The police officer who oversaw the investigation into her death said he could rule out any third party involvement.

Det Insp David Turner said: 'Despite the fact that suicide was clearly an issue with these children, I found no evidence of what is sometimes called a 'suicide pact'.'

Lizzie's father Kevin, an engineer, told the inquest that he and her mother had no idea about the issues she was grappling with.

Tribute: After the hearing: 'We wish she had confided because she would have found a wealth of love and acceptance and support.'The loss our precious daughter has left us heart broken-hearted'

'There was nothing to suggest she was distressed or had any issues,' her father told the hearing

He said: 'She was just normal and seemed happy.

'There was nothing to suggest she was distressed or had any issues.

'She was very mature, she knew what she wanted and she knew her own mind.'

Asked how the family would have reacted if she had spoken to them about her sexuality, Mr Lowe said: 'It wouldn't have come as much surprise. She was very much a tomboy.

'In fact, she was more of a boy than some of the boys were, so it would have been no surprise at all.

'We would have been very supportive.'

The principal of Parrs Wood High School in Didsbury told the inquest the incident had 'shaken their sense of reality'

The principal of Parrs Wood High School in Didsbury told the inquest the incident had 'shaken their sense of reality'.

Andrew Shakos said immediately after the incident, several pupils were referred to a psychologist and staff were made available to help youngsters.

Senior coroner Nigel Meadows said the school couldn't have done any more to pick up on Lizzie's distress.

Recording a verdict that Lizzie killed herself, Mr Meadows said: 'She was clearly an intelligent young woman.

'She was a successful student but was going through issues of developing maturity and exploring her sexuality and was struggling to come to terms with that against her faith beliefs.

'It is clear she was struggling and she was talking to others about it.

'She never had the opportunity to share her concerns with her parents.

'But I have absolutely no doubt they would have been supportive in their reaction.'

He concluded that Lizzie did intend to kill herself and carried out the act.

Mr Meadows also issued a plea to all youngsters to talk to an adult if they have any issues or concerns.

Speaking after the hearing, father Kevin and mother Hilary, a chartered accountant, said: 'Lizzie was a wonderful exuberant and loved member of her church, school and community.

'She was a gifted student, sportswoman and musician who was outgoing, fun-loving and enjoyed the love and respect of many friends.

'We are utterly devastated at losing her.

'Lizzie did not make known her struggle with depression and the challenges she tried to face alone as a young adult.

'We wish she had confided because she would have found a wealth of love and acceptance and support.

'The loss our precious daughter has left us heart broken-hearted.'