The devastated family of a teenager found dead in a park has urged students to speak out about the pressures of education during lockdown.
Matthew Mackell, 17, was discovered in Dunorlan Park in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, where police and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
His brother Chris Mackell says a notebook the family found since Matthew's death shows the A-level student feared for his future and how lockdown would affect his school results.
The 18-year-old said: "He was writing about his feelings and that he wasn't happy. It was quite dark. It wasn't nice to read.
"But I wasn't aware of any problems at all. If anything I thought he was doing more than well with it. No one really thought that Matt was worried about that.
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"Matt was stupidly successful at school. I was speaking to a couple of his friends and they were saying he was 100 per cent the brightest one out of the whole year.
"He literally spent his breaks and lunches doing all his work and doing extra. But he was worried that he was going to end up in a dead end job which is stupid to think about, especially when he was doing so well.
"I think he enjoyed school and was quite proud of himself."
Matthew wanted to study at university and had aspirations to become an accountant.
While still coming to terms with the tragic loss, Matthew's family, are attempting to highlight how tough the uncertainty surrounding closed schools during lockdown can be.
Chris added: "If anyone in school is worried about lockdown, don't be. You can more than make up for what you're missing out on now.
"It's not the end of your A-levels and it's certainly not the end of the world you not being at school right now. Obviously people are stressing out about it.
"I want to emphasise the mental health aspect and that help is there. You are not a burden on someone because that's one thing Matt was worried about - having to go and talk to someone.
"He felt bringing his problems to them would bring them down and be a pain for them."
A fundraising page has raised more than £7,300 for Matthew's funeral costs and to plant a memorial tree in Dunorlan Park in his memory.
In the JustGiving description, Matthew's dad Michael Bond, 48, who described his son as "the most kind hearted young man you could ever meet", wrote: "Id like to stress to you all, that if anyone needs to talk through anything at all that's worrying them, please talk to someone, don't keep it to yourself.
"Check on people, make sure they are ok, give them a hug.. talk."
These words were echoed by Matthew's headteacher Dr Hilary Macaulay, who described the "great sadness" felt by the Skinners Kent Academy community that the Year 12 pupil played such a large part of.
Matthew, who died on May 7, was in the first year of his A-levels before sitting exams next year, had been hand picked out of Year 12 to do a two-week work placement with an American investment management firm in London.
Dr Macaulay wrote in a letter to parents sent out on Monday: "His father has asked that I stress to you all that, if anyone feels they need to talk through anything at all in their lives that is worrying them, to please talk to someone and not keep it to themselves.
"We are aware that this will be upsetting for students at the Academy.
"The particular situation we are faced with, both as a country and a community with schools currently closed, also makes bringing together our students at this time more challenging.
"Academy staff are on hand as well as our colleagues from the Educational Psychology Service to ensure that we provide appropriate, ongoing support to those affected.
"Our thoughts are with Matthew's family and the whole Academy community sends them our deepest heartfelt condolences and support at this incredibly sad time."
She also described the "very popular student" as "representing everything that our Academy stands for and values right from the start of his time in Year 7 and relishing every opportunity as he moved up into our Sixth Form".
Floral tributes now completely cover a bridge in Dunorlan Park in memory of the much-loved teenager.
Kent Police confirmed they are not treating the death as suspicious.
If you need to speak to someone, Samaritans are available 24/7 by calling 116 123 or by emailing jo@samaritans.org
