A promising teenage student was throttled to death by his onesie during a tragic weight lifting accident, an inquest has heard.

Keep-fit fan Joshua Harrison-Jones, 16, had tied the clothing to an exercise bench in his bedroom so he could use it a makeshift resistant band with which to lift weights.

But during an energetic workout, his neck became trapped between the onesie and the bench press as he was lifting the weights and he lost consciousness.

A coroner has ruled the Salford City College student’s death a tragic accident – and family and friends of the Stretford teenager have paid glowing tribute to Joshua.

An inquest heard keep fit fanatic Joshua, from Stretford, described as a ‘very positive, inspirational and bright’ boy by his family.

He had a passion for athletics and was in his first year of studying sports psychology at A Level at Salford City College.

His future was mapped out and he was planning to visit universities with a view to plan ahead for a college degree.

On January 7 this year, the day of the accident, the teenager had been out for the day shopping with his grandmother.

Joshua’s mother Stephanie Harrison-Jones, said: “At around 10:30pm there was a missed phone call.

"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.

"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 left him at his house after making them tea. 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 class mates laugh with his unique sense of humour. He wanted to learn, not just about the physical but the psychological too.

"On January 6, he was asking about two universities – he was thinking about the next steps and the future.”

“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. 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.”

Detective Inspector 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.”

Tests showed he passed away as a result of restriction to his airways.

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.”

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“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.”

“There is absolutely no doubt in our minds that Joshua’s death was nothing more than a tragic accident.

"Joshua striving once again for physical excellence, with devastating consequences.”