THE PARENTS of a Hampshire teenager who went missing after leaving a suicide note were overjoyed when he suddenly returned.

But celebrations turned to heartache a few days later when he was found hanged in woods after telling his parents he was returning to college.

Bahaa-Eddine Karoui,18, of Dale Valley Road in Southampton, was suffering from anxiety and depression.

A Winchester inquest heard his parents found a suicide note on his laptop on November 27 last year.

The couple did not attend the inquest but in a heart-rending statement read out at the hearing the teenager’s father, Alaya, described the last few days of Bahaa-Eddine’s life.

Mr Karoui said he was on the telephone to police, reporting his son’s initial disappearance, when the “high-achieving” student returned to the family home.

He added: “I began to cry and dropped to my knees.”

The inquest heard that Bahaa-Eddine behaved normally over the next few days and was delighted that the family were about to go on holiday.

But his parents took steps to prevent him from leaving the house without their knowledge.

One morning he told his mother he wanted to return to college and resume his studies.

His father said: “My wife phoned me at work and asked me what she should do.

"I replied he was 18 and we couldn’t stop him going if he wanted to. He left and did not return.”

Bahaa-Eddine was found hanged from a tree on Southampton Common the following day.

Senior coroner Grahame Short said: “He was clearly suffering from depression. He started taking medication but stopped some time before his death.

“On November 27 his parents found a note on his laptop but he returned home later that night and did not go to college for two days.

“He went out on November 30 and was found hanged at about 3pm the following day.

“A hand-written note was found and it’s very clear that this was a self-inflicted death.

“I’m satisfied that Bahaa intended to take his own life. This was a calculated move and he knew the consequences of his actions.

“He was suffering from anxiety and depression but did not take up an offer of help from his parents or his GP.”

Mr Short recorded a conclusion of suicide.