A ONCE promising student, who became anxious about his future and had turned to drink and self-mutilation, was found dead in a Walkden park.

An inquest heard how Wesley Alldred, of Greymar Road, Little Hulton, was found dead at Blackleach Country Park by walkers on December 13 last year.

Mr Alldred, aged 32, was brought up in Salford and had proved to be an extremely bright pupil.

His father Paul Alldred, who is a teacher, told the inquest his son had started to experience problems when he was aged 13 and wanted to attend a private school, but his family had been unable to afford the fees.

Despite poor attendance, Mr Alldred achieved good A-level results at Pendleton College and gained a place at Lampeter University in Wales, but he became anxious following the first term and was admitted to a psychiatric hospital after taking an overdose.

At the age of 21 he returned to the family home in Cadishead, Salford, where Mr Alldred senior noticed his son had started to cut his arms.

Mr Alldred told the inquest: "He was deeply anxious about where his life was going -- he knew he was able and was very concerned about getting a career."

He spent 12 months studying at Bangor University before dropping out and never found a job.

While living in Manchester Mr Alldred started to drink heavily, became depressed and visited the Turning Point organisation for counselling.

He spoke regularly to his family on the phone after they moved to the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides in 1997 and had been looking forward to visiting them last Christmas.

But his body was found in woodland at the park, just one day before he should have caught the coach to Scotland.

The pathology report revealed Mr Alldred had died after cutting an artery in his elbow and losing a lot of blood.

The toxicology report showed his blood contained about three times the upper amount of alcohol limit permitted for driving legally as well as the anti-depressant prozac and librium.

Assistant deputy coroner Alan Walsh recorded an open verdict and said: "This was a very intelligent and potentially very successful man, but he was too anxious and lacking in self-confidence.

"To such a caring and close family, my sympathies go out over the frustration and misplaced anxiety which led to his death."

Mr Alldred's father said after the inquest: "We're happy with the verdict as there were too many unresolved issues for him to have done it deliberately.

"He was a lovely man and this has been very sad.

"We had wanted him to move with us to Scotland, but he had fully supported our decision to go."