THE father of a teacher who died on the East Coast Main Line paid tribute to a “lovely son” following an inquest into his death today (Thursday, March 26).

Christopher Allan’s body was found on the tracks at the Ouston junction at Chester-le-Street, County Durham, on the morning of March 4 this year.

Mr Allan, 39, of Birtley, was an ICT teacher at St Robert of Newminster Roman Catholic School and Sixth Form College in Washington.

News of his death prompted an outpouring of emotional tributes by pupils, past and present, on the social networking websites, Facebook and Twitter.

At an inquest at Crook Coroners Court, Crispin Oliver, deputy coroner for County Durham, said a post mortem had found Mr Allen had died from multiple traumas.

PC Linzi Cook, of the British Transport Police, said it was likely Mr Allan had been hit by a freight train during the night and the driver had been unaware.

She said a suicide note had been found at the scene and the inquest heard how Mr Allan had been suffering from depression as a result of personal difficulties.

Mr Oliver returned a verdict of suicide and passed on his condolences to the deceased’s family.

Mr Allan’s father, David Allan, said: “We have lost a lovely son through an unfortunate event and will miss him forever.”