A mother and father from Dereham have paid tribute to their 'loving and happy-go-lucky' son who hanged himself in woods.

Dale Woodhouse, 22, made a final phone call to his mother on March 16, telling her: 'I can't take it any more.'

His brother and mother rushed to Poppy's Wood, at North Tuddenham, near Dereham, where Mr Woodhouse, of Whinburgh Road, was found hanged.

At an inquest in Norwich yesterday, Jacqueline Woodhouse described him as 'a very much-loved son and brother and uncle. We all miss him so much.'

Speaking afterwards, she and her husband David added: 'He was very artistic, and he loved his music and skateboarding.

'He just loved spending time with his friends, and his smile was beautiful. He was always smiling.'

More than 200 people attended Mr Woodhouse's funeral, and his friends also arranged a Chinese lantern release ceremony in his memory.

The inquest heard that Mr Woodhouse's relationship had broken down shortly before his death, something which had 'clearly distressed' him, said Norfolk Coroner William Armstrong.

Mr Woodhouse had not spoken of taking his own life or of self-harm, and his doctor said he was in physical and mental health.

Mr Armstrong recorded that Mr Woodhouse died as a result of hanging himself while in a distressed state of mind, adding: 'It is not possible to form any reliable conclusions as to his intentions at the time.'

He said he could not record a verdict of suicide because Mr Woodhouse phoned home before his death. No note was found.

'It is possible that this was a gesture and possible that he thought he would be seen and that someone would be there on the scene very quickly.

'It may be that he had not decided quite definitively and unequivocally to bring his life to an end.'