A CORONER has recorded an open conclusion following the death of a Haltwhistle teenager.

Ryan Reader (19), of Police Houses, Haltwhistle, was found hanging at a friend's address on Millfield Terrace on Monday, August 28.

An inquest at Howard House, North Shields, heard that Mr Reader had met with friends at the address on Millfield Terrace, before the group went to the Comrades Club, in Haltwhistle.

In a statement given by one of Mr Reader's friends, read out by coroner Eric Armstrong, Mr Reader was described to be looking at another member of the group, who he had previously been out with on a few occasions, in a "funny and intense" way.

After the pair talked for around 10 minutes, Mr Reader left early and the rest of the group stayed out.

When they returned to the address on Millfield Terrace, they found Mr Reader's body in the stairwell.

Paramedics attended but their attempts at CPR were unsuccessful.

A post-mortem carried out by pathologist Dr Robert Stirling found the cause of death to be hanging, while a blood alcohol level of 68 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood was recorded.

Dr Stirling report said that this low level of blood alcohol "probably played no significant part in the cause of death, although may have affected the ability for rational thought."

There was also a therapeutic dosage of paracetamol in Mr Reader's system.

Recording an open verdict, the coroner referred to the fact Mr Reader was aware the group of friends would be returning to that particular address, and that no note was found.

"I have to consider that this could have been an attempt by him to gain sympathy, but sadly the timing was out," he said.

"I am not prepared to find that suicide can be proved beyond reasonable doubt."