A 14-year-old schoolboy left a heartbreaking
goodbye voicemail to his girlfriend telling her
she deserved better - then threw himself off
a motorway bridge. Ben Fitchett died on August 19 last year
after falling from a bridge over the
eastbound M62, near to junction 20, on his
way to his paper round. Moments earlier he had called his girlfriend
to tell her he loved her and that she
deserved better. He also sent text messages to two other
people saying goodbye. An inquest at Heywood Phoenix Centre
heard Ben, of Balderstone, Rochdale , had
returned from a Scout camp in Switzerland
the day before his death. While on holiday his girlfriend had read a
Facebook conversation saying he had been
involved with another girl. But the night before his death he texted his
girlfriend telling her he had made up the
story for attention. The following morning while walking to the
newsagents at about 7.15am he called her
for the final time. Ben's parents Peter and Sarah said he
seemed happy after returning home from
holiday. Sarah said: “He was full of the joys when we
picked him up. He could not wait to tell us
what a fantastic time he'd had.” At around 9.30am on August 19, 2013, after
Ben failed to return from his paper round,
they began to text and call him. Police eventually answered his phone and
they discovered he had died. Peter added: "To us this was so out of
character. Nothing stood out as untoward. If
you look back and say we could have
changed anything the answer is no.” A post mortem examination found the cause
of death was due to multiple injuries. PC Helen Hallworth told the inquest in text
messages sent to two close friends Ben had
mentioned he had been self-harming. And on the way back from his trip to
Switzerland fellow scouts mentioned his self-
harming. Ben, a pupil at Crompton House School in
Oldham , was described as intelligent, active
and outgoing. The inquest heard he volunteered in a
charity shop, was in numerous bands as a
skilled percussionist and had been a Scout
for a number of years. The coroner Lisa Hashmi said that Ben had
taken his own life in a 'spur of the moment
decision'. She added: “He knew there could be only
one outcome of the action he took on August
19.” Since Ben's death around £13,000 has
already been raised in his memory for
charity Papyrus, the Prevention of Young
Suicide. Speaking after the inquest Ben's father Peter
said: "We are proud that Ben touched the
lives of so many people he came into
contact with; people who have shared with
us the endearing impression Ben has left. "We have been overwhelmed and greatly
comforted by the love, prayers and support
from all."