A "brilliant and exceptional" schoolgirl hanged herself in a park after spiralling into depression because of her severe acne, an inquest heard today.
Talented grammar school student Melissa Martin-Hughes, 18, was predicted three A*s in her upcoming A-Level exams and had previously been awarded 10A*s at GCSE level.
But the popular red-head suffered from "dark episodes" which started at 14 when she was struck down with acne on her face and upper body.
She began self-harming and later attempted suicide at Beachy Head, Sussex, but was stopped after police found her "crying and smelling of alcohol".
Melissa was immediately sectioned and put under the care of mental health teams but was "let down" by "very clear failures" in her care, the inquest was told.
She was only seen twice by a "crisis team" assigned to her case - and one of those visits lasted only an hour.
Melissa was later discharged from their care.
Her body was found hanging from a tree at Pittville Park in
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire, on April 26, 2010 - seven months after her last appointment.
Melissa's devastated father
Donald Hughes, a structural engineer, told Gloucestershire Coroner's Court his family felt "let down" by the services given to Melissa.
The father-of-four said: "Following that incident she underwent assessment locally and had some counselling sessions.
"The sessions unfortunately stopped because of a psychiatric going on long-term sick leave and also Melissa changing system because of becoming 18. ...
