The father of a popular Norfolk teenager who took his own life has paid tribute to his 'mischievous, funny and intelligent' son.

Christopher Walsh, of Walcot Road, Diss, said his family had been struggling to understand why 16-year-old Connor ended his life as the Diss High School pupil had never spoken about taking his own life and had much to live for, especially as he was due to be sitting his GCSEs in the summer.

Norfolk coroner William Armstrong recorded a verdict at an inquest at Norwich Coroner's Court last Thursday that Connor died on December 20 through suicide while in a disturbed state of mind.

Mr Walsh said: 'He was an outgoing person. He was intelligent, mischievous, funny, a bit of a joker and lived his life to the full.

'He was also a very caring boy and would listen to pupils and look after children who were being bullied at school.'

He added that the teenager had many friends at school and loved rock music, travelling to London to watch gigs by bands such as alternative rockers My Chemical Romance and punk band Green Day, while he was also a regular at Thetford Forest concerts, where he saw the group Keane. He was also interested in swimming and computers.

The inquest, attended by Mr Walsh and his partner Maria, heard that they found their son in his bedroom at 6.30pm. He was pronounced dead at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Although he had not discussed suicide, Mr Walsh told the inquest his son had not seemed his normal self, adding: 'He seemed to have gone into a different place. He was not his normal self, he seemed to be retiring inside himself.'

dominic.bareham2@archant.co.uk