A SCHOOL community is in shock after a pupil was found hanged.

Xiang-Yin Teng, 17, who was known as Sho Lee, was discovered by her mother hanging from a cord at their home at Crossgate Moor, Durham, last Tuesday.

The lower sixth pupil at Durham Johnston Comprehensive School and her mother Beth Jianping Xiang, a senior research associate at Durham University's school of engineering, arrived from China about a year ago.

Sho Lee's father, a senior academic at a Chinese university, is travelling to the North-East.

Richard Bloodworth, head teacher at Durham Johnston Comprehensive, said Sho Lee had started the lower sixth with a minimal knowledge of English, but had mastered the language.

He said she was repeating the year, studying for AS levels in maths, further maths, physics and chemistry.

"My guess is that she would have continued with all four as she was very able," he said.

"I think we would have seen her as potentially of Oxbridge standard."

Mr Bloodworth said staff and pupils were devastated by Sho Lee's death.

"It came as a terrible shock. Sho Lee was very popular with students and staff. There was no sign that she was unhappy that we were aware of."

He said the sixth form was planning a memorial assembly.

A police spokesman said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. An inquest was opened last Friday.

A Durham University spokeswoman said: "The department has been supporting Beth and all the staff are really sad to hear of her loss.

"Our sympathy goes out to Beth and her family."