A young man who was bullied at school repeatedly overdosed as a cry for help, an inquest heard.

Edward Dobson, 25, battled with depression after he lost his self-confidence. He became withdrawn, needed psychiatric help and took four overdoses after he turned 23.

The inquest heard yesterday that Mr Dobson, of Carr Bottom Road, Greengates, Bradford, always called his family for help and was successfully treated in hospital.

On September 27 last year he rang his father's mobile phone after taking a cocktail of alcohol, Propranolol, Clomipramine and Aspirin.

The phone had been stolen from his father's van and there was a delay before Richard Dobson received the call for help. He rushed his son to Bradford Royal Infirmary but the charity worker died after his condition deteriorated. Mr Dobson's mother Kathryn said in a statement to the inquest that her son lost confidence after he was bullied at school. He became progressively withdrawn and suffered a breakdown at 13.

At 16 he went to Leeds College and qualified as a bricklayer but he worried about his appearance and was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder.

He worked for Age Concern and began teaching young men bricklaying. Mrs Dobson said that after he turned 23 her son took four overdoses as a cry for help.

In September 2004 he was hurt in an accident and was further depressed when the family home was burgled.

By September last year he was thinking "dark thoughts" and was prescribed antidepressants.

Coroner Roger Whittaker said it was "a particularly tragic case".

It was "crystal clear" that the overdoses were a continuing cry for help, including the one on September 27 2005. "He phoned his father so he could sort it out. Tragically, there was a delay this time," Mr Whittaker said.

"This is not suicide, it's a cry for help which went wrong and that's an accidental death."

After the hearing Mr and Mrs Dobson said: "Only Edward's close family and friends knew of his battle with depression and saw how he suffered and struggled with it.

"As a child he didn't find life easy and found school very difficult, where he was bullied, but as he grew older it became more severe.

"He always tried hard in everything he did and was a kind and loving son and brother to Claire and Thomas and is greatly missed by all his family and friends."

e-mail: jenny.loweth@bradford.newsquest.co.uk