A much-loved teenager jumped in front of a train travelling at 80mph in a “moment of madness”, an inquest has heard.

William Davis, of Compton Road, Winchmore Hill, died from multiple injuries after stepping in front of the high-speed service at Cheshunt station on Tuesday, February 12.

Hatfield Coroners Court heard yesterday how the 16-year-old took his own life because of “teenage angst” with his girlfriend.

William – affectionately known as Charlie – changed his Facebook status after finding out another girl liked him and claimed to hurt herself if he did not feel the same way.

This led to a heated flurry of text messages with his girlfriend, which left Charlie feeling “troubled”.

Coroner Edward Thomas said: “He was a caring person. The decision to do what he did was nearly instantaneous.

“He probably felt troubled, like he let someone down. It shows his caring character, how he was concerned he was not able to rectify what happened.

“Sadly when young people have a time when something upsetting happens, or it is not going quite right, they sometimes feel that is it. It was building up in his head. It is an immediate thing, it is teenage angst.”

On the morning of his death, his college teacher said Charlie asked to be excused at 10.30am because he “had not slept” the night before.

When he arrived home, he told his mother and brother he was in a bad mood and went up to his room – and then left the house at around 1pm.

Witness Joshua Blundell told the courtroom how he arrived on platform two of the station at 2pm and saw Charlie standing on the platform.

He added: “It looked like he threw himself forward. It looked like it was a deliberate act. He didn't stumble.”

Detective Sergeant Adrian Naylor, of the British Transport Police Fatality Investigation Unit, said the Stansted airport-bound train was not due to stop at the station.

CCTV footage showed there was nobody else in the area when the teenager fell.

Charlie’s father told the courtroom: “I feel it was a moment of madness at the wrong time and the wrong place. There was nothing there to stop him doing it. We have gone through so much.”

Charlie was an aspiring engineer who dreamed of studying for a degree at Brunel University.

He was a dedicated explorer scout who joined the 5th Southgate Scout Group in Winchmore Hill ten years ago.

Mr Thomas said: “Everyone who knew him described him as a nice guy.

“He was someone they could go to with their problems, but he never spoke about his own.

“He was kind, considerate, intelligent and wonderful. He was a much-loved and well thought of young boy, which is why this is so tragic.”