A 16-year-old fitness fanatic was throttled to death by his own onesie while using it to exercise in his bedroom.

Joshua Harrison-Jones had tied the nightwear to an exercise bench and was using it to lift weights when his neck became trapped between the onesie and the equipment.

The A-Level student was found by his sister at the family home in Stretford, Greater Manchester, after losing consciousness while trying to free himself. He was later pronounced dead in hospital.

Tragic accident: Joshua Harrison-Jones (left and right with his mother) had tied the nightwear to an exercise bench and was using it to lift weights when his neck became trapped between the onesie and the equipment

Joshua, who was described by his family as 'very positive, inspirational and bright', was a keep-fit fanatic and often used the onesie as a makeshift resistance band, an inquest heard.

The schoolboy, who was studying for an A Level in sports psychology at Salford City College, had his 'future mapped out' and was planning on visiting universities.

His mother, Stephanie Harrison-Jones, said she was at work on the night of January 7 when she missed a phone call at around 10.30pm.

She told the inquest: 'My daughter had got her iPad and tried to get in touch with various family members to tell them something was wrong with her brother.

'I finished work at 11pm and my mother was due to pick me up, I had missed phone calls and when I tried to ring back they didn't answer.

Bright future: Joshua, pictured, was described by his family as 'very positive and inspirational'

'I then got a call from my brother who told me to come home, he told me Joshua had been in an accident.

'I started panicking and running home but the police came and picked me up. As I arrived home it became apparent that something very bad was occurring.

'Joshua could be socially awkward but he was absolutely normal in every sense of the word. He was very into physical fitness and we got him a training machine which he put up in his bedroom.

'I had never watched him train upstairs but he had fixed a onesie on there. My daughter said he did it all the time.

'Reflecting back to when I told his friends how he died, they knew what I meant straight away and said it was not an uncommon thing for him to do.'

Joshua's grandmother Karen Harrison told the hearing: 'He was very sensitive to other people's feelings, he was hardworking and a loving child. He was bright, funny and we had a giggle.

'On the day it happened he was chatting away about athletic things and how excited he was about going seeing other universities. We had a really good day.

'I spoke to him at 9.30pm because he was worried about his mum getting home on her own so I rung him to tell him I would go and pick her up. I had no concerns, he was laughing at me for ringing him.

'It was about 10:30pm I got the call. We all arrived at the same time and I went into Joshua's room and we all tried to help him before the paramedics arrived.

'He never expressed any views to me about wanting to harm himself. He ate like a horse every day and you couldn't feed him enough.'

Emma Armitage, learning support and safeguarding manager at Salford City College said: 'He was known to the sports department, he impressed us all and stayed beyond the time he was supposed to, he was very helpful as well. There was not a problem with his understanding of it at all. He was the model student.

'He was able to make his classmates laugh with his unique sense of humour. He wanted to learn, not just about the physical but the psychological too.

'He was definitely working towards a distinction grade. He was very friendly, very bubbly and from the start he told me he was going to get an A. He was on track.

On track: The schoolboy, pictured right and left with his mother, who was studying for an A Level in sports psychology at Salford City College, had his 'future mapped out' and was planning on visiting universities

'He was confident and wanted to do well, he said to me 'I'm going to achieve the best results ever at college'

'He never seemed to be a pupil who was a danger to anybody and there was nothing negative recorded about him at all. He was the staff's pupil but he was also considered a friend.'

Det Insp Cheryl Hughes of Greater Manchester Police said: 'We investigated the background issues and there was nothing at all that caused any concerns. His bedroom was quite messy - but it was a typical teenager's bedroom.'

'I saw the exercise frame, there was a onesie tied to it and nothing else on the machine. We made some enquiries as to why it was there, we looked into it to see if we could see any evidence on the internet and saw that this could be used as a resistance band. That is something they do with things that can create that resistance.'

He was definitely working towards a distinction grade. He was very friendly, very bubbly and from the start he told me he was going to get an A. He was on track Emma Armitage, Salford City College

Recording a verdict of accidental death Stockport coroner John Pollard said: 'I think it was an accident and I think he lost consciousness very quickly.

'If this was intentional then messages on Facebook and other social media would have probably been found but there was nothing. No one was concerned about him and he was a model student. I rule out a deliberate intention.'

In a statement after the hearing, Joshua's family said: 'Joshua was a very positive, inspirational, bright young person, who strived for perfection in everything he set out to achieve. A warm, caring and witty individual, Joshua easily endeared himself to everyone he encountered.'

'His tenacity for life, the dedication showed, both in his academic achievements and his love for athletics meant that he very much had the world at his feet and was there for the taking.'

'This Summer Joshua wanted to visit various universities, as in his mind his future was mapped out.

'Joshua was well liked and respected amongst his peers, friends and tutors; all of which are devastated by his tragic passing.'

'As a family we are absolutely devastated by this loss. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and cousin and his absence is felt every day.

'It is both every parents, and families worst nightmare, and we struggle daily to move forward from this.'