A PROMISING young medical student from Crewe, who became 'fascinated with self-harm' was found hanged after visiting a website that encouraged him to commit suicide.

Police who investigated the death of Arwel Davies, 22, of Charlcote Crescent, think that messages and e-mails posted through the site could have 'tipped him over the edge'.

Arwel, who studied at South Cheshire College, hanged himself from a hook on the back of his bedroom door following instructions he downloaded from the Dutch-based website.

His housemate Andrew Baker told Liverpool Coroner's Court in a statement how he broke into the physiology student's ground floor bedroom on September 7 and dialled 999.

Police and ambulance crews raced to the terraced house in Allerton, Liverpool, but he had been dead for several hours.

The court also learned that Arwel had been treated for bouts of depression after taking a paracetemol overdose six months earlier.

Coroner's officer Colin Alexander told the inquest that e-mails and chat-room messages posted on the web site blatantly encouraged him to take his own life.

He said: "He had made a ligature from a length of rope and there were two socks underneath.

"Forensic investigators searched Arwel's bedroom after he died and found a nine-page print-out describing various methods of suicide.

"In the wastepaper basket were sketches and hand-written notes on preparing for suicide.

"Arwel's PC was analysed by Merseyside Police who found several e-mails posted to Arwel discussing suicide. This could be seen as giving assistance to someone with suicidal tendencies.

"If you're living on a knife-edge, these messages could certainly tip you over."

Andrew Baker described Arwel as generally a 'chipper and happy' person who never showed outward signs of depression.

He said: "He appeared to be really happy. He saw his parents every three weeks and friends often came to see him.

"He had never mentioned to me he was depressed or wanted to take his own life."