A MUCH-loved teacher was found hanged at a school hours after showing off an engagement ring he planned to give to his girlfriend on a romantic holiday.

Dafydd Bury taught philosophy at LVS Ascot following a glittering career on the hockey pitch, where he picked up a bronze medal at the 2009 European Hockey Championship with Wales.

Although he took an overdose in 2015, the 25 year-old's partner Sophie Phillips said he had become much happier, with the pair booking a holiday together to Bali in October.

After drinking with fellow teacher William Truter at the London Road school on May 1, the assistant house master returned to his room where he called his girlfriend who was at her home in Dartmouth, an inquest heard.

"I could tell he was quite drunk," Miss Phillips told the inquest at Reading Town Hall on October 4.

"The way he spoke changed, he repeated words. He couldn't comprehend what I was saying. He didn't talk about how he was feeling, he just said 'I phoned to say goodbye'. That was all he kept saying.

"I said 'Don't be silly, let's talk about it.' I said his name a few times and he didn't respond. It just went quiet."

Miss Phillips then called Mr Truter, who said Mr Bury had spoken of future plans of moving back to his university town in Devon and had been in a good mood.

"There is always that thought in the back of your mind," she continued.

"But you think that kind of thing doesn't actually happen. He wouldn't actually do it."

Early the next morning Miss Phillips again called Mr Truter after receiving no reply from her boyfriend. He walked to the Exeter University alumni's room and spotted him through the window.

South Central Ambulance Service arrived ten minutes later but Mr Bury was dead.

Mr Bury had suffered from depression for several years, taking an anti-depressant to help cope with the death of his mother when he was 14.

His dosage was upped as his father, who has cancer, took a turn for the worse in 2016.

He was also prescribed therapy sessions in November 2016.

"He felt it was better because he was doing something about it," the midwife said.

"He was incredibly happy. There were no other depressive episodes. We booked a holiday for October. We talked about getting married. Everything was looking positive for the future."

The day prior to his death Mr Bury dropped his girlfriend at Ascot station before completing his lowest-ever round of golf and calling his dad to discuss their upcoming trip to Portugal.

"I am quite shocked, I never thought in my wildest dreams this would happen," Mr Truter later told police.

"He was planning to propose to Sophie in Bali in October.

"There were no issues at work. Daf was going to complete his teacher training the next week."

At the end of the inquest Alison McCormick, assistant coroner for Berkshire, recorded an open verdict.

She said his plans for the future and previous diagnosis as low risk meant a suicide verdict could not be reached beyond doubt.

"It is clear to me that Dafydd was a special person to those that knew him and those he loved," Mrs McCormick concluded.

If you need to speak to the Samaritans for support or advice, call 0845 790 9090.