A happy-go-lucky teenager took his own life when he was 'inconsolable' after crashing his brother's car, an inquest was told.

Agricultural worker Samuel Farmer, from Fincham, had been out with friends on the night of December 10 last year, King's Lynn Coroners' Court heard.

Around midnight, the 19-year-old called his mother Marie Farmer after his car went off the road on his way home and he had driven into some bushes, King's Lynn Coroners Court heard.

She brought him back home, but she said he got upset about the incident, having only passed his driving test three weeks previously. The court heard how he was inconsolable for crashing his brother's car.

He went up to his bedroom and, a few minutes later, his mother heard a loud bang. In a statement read out by Norfolk coroner Jacqueline Lake, his mother Marie Farmer said: 'He lived in the moment and seemed to make friends wherever he went.' Mrs Farmer ended her statement with: 'It's something we would never have anticipated.'

PC Rod Morrison said in his statement that he had been called to a house in High Street around 2am. When he walked into Samuel Farmer's room, he said it was clear beyond all doubt Mr Farmer had taken his own life.

Mr Farmer's doctor from Marham Surgery, Dr Nicholas Hart, said in his statement that there was nothing in his notes that could have given him any indication of Mr Farmer's risk of suicide and he was not aware of any mental health problems.

A post-mortem examination report said there had been a low concentration of alcohol in Mr Farmer's blood.

Due to the presence of alcohol, coroner Jacqueline Lake said she could not conclude the cause of death as a suicide; instead she said that Mr Farmer took his own life.

Mrs Lake said: 'I have to consider whether to bring suicide, not only the act but whether he intended to end his own life.

'I have heard he was happy-go-lucky and he acted out of character. No note was found. I can't be sure of the effect the amount of alcohol would have on his state of mind. It may have clouded the necessary intent and his understanding of his action. I can't be sure he intended to end his own life.'

Closing the inquest, Mrs Lake gave her condolences to Samuel Farmer's parents and his brother.