text: Gifted: Schoolgirl Elspeth McKendrick was depressed after being diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome . A gifted schoolgirl hanged herself  just weeks after scoring a string of GCSE A stars because she was depressed at being diagnosed with a mild form of autism, an inquest heard. School prefect Elspeth McKendrick, 16, was left shattered in 2012 when doctors diagnosed her with Asperger's syndrome. The Doctor Who and Sherlock fan, who was described by her mother as 'geeky', had desperately wanted to fit in at school and had built up a small circle of friends. Her parents said  she was 'happy to be odd and eccentric' but was 'very much in denial' about her condition and  felt unable to discuss  it with anybody. Last August, just a week after going on a school trip as part of the National Citizen Service, the teenager was found hanged in her bedroom after leaving a note apologising to her family and telling how she wished she could open up to friends. The inquest in Heywood, Greater Manchester, heard how Elspeth, from Bury, had been an artistic and creative pupil at Tottington High School. She was an avid reader who always had a novel in her school bag and had already won a place at Manchester College of Art to study A levels. But her mother Rebecca Jackson, 47, told the hearing. 'She had told of problems socialising and making close friends. 'Although she had a lot of friends she also wanted to have a close best friend and she did not have that. 'There were behavioural issues and tantrums that were beyond my experience of normal teenage tantrums because, for Elspeth, things were black and white. Elspeth was very tech savvy and she enjoyed using the computer. 'It caused an awful lot of problems. We got woken up in the middle of the night at 2am when she was on the computer or at 4am when she was not sleeping. She was existing on four hours a night then. It was Elspeth's way or the high way.' In 2011 Elspeth went to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in Bury and was upset to be diagnosed with Asperger's the following year. Mrs Jackson said: 'She was very geeky and enjoyed a lot of things like Albert Einstein and she loved films and cinematography. 'There are a lot of film directors with Asperger's so it doesn't mean there is anything mentally wrong with you, just a difference in the way you think. 'I tried to present it in a positive light to her and was recommended a book about Asperger's and teenagers and it was really positive. 'I bought it for Elspeth and she tore it into shreds and then was very sorry and tried to sellotape it back together. She was very much in denial.' Elspeth poses with a cardboard cut-out of Tom Jones. She was described as an artistic and creative pupil  and had already won a place at Manchester College of Art to study A levels . Elspeth's father Euan, 43, told the inquest: 'She was not happy about her diagnosis and she wanted to be Elspeth and felt the diagnosis was a waste of time. CAMHS she saw as toxic and not about her and more about her mother's needs and not her needs. 'When she was good she was fantastic, when she lost it she really did. Most of it was stropping and slamming the door. There were a few bad ones that were horrific - shouting, swearing and calling names, saying the most terrible things.' 'She did feel an awful lot of pressure. She felt she was being observed. I am afraid she did not like being watched or observed. Part of the CAMHS problem was that she was convinced they were taking notes about her and sharing it with her mother. 'Alone': The inquest heard how Elspeth struggled to discuss her condition with friends . 'She kept her choice of college secret. She didn't want people to know what she was doing or where she was going. She felt she was in a fish bowl all of the time. 'She did not want the diagnosis - she just wanted to be a bit odd. She was happy being odd, a bit eccentric.' Det Insp Denise Pye of Great Manchester Police said a note had been found on top of Elspeth's laptop apologising for what she had done as well as a notebook containing school work and comments about her feelings. DI Pye said: 'She felt she was alone and wanted to tell friends how she felt but felt she couldn't do so. 'Some of the positive stuff seems to refer to the challenge she went on and the negative stuff was that she felt she did not have contact with people she should after the challenge because she made such good friends and felt so good about that.' Elspeth's clinical psychologist at Bury CAMHS, Neil Wilson, told the inquest: 'Elspeth was at the subtle end of the autism spectrum. Someone who might meet her for the first time would not probably regard her as having a developmental disorder but as shy and cautious.' Headmaster at Tottington High School, Paul Greenhalgh, said: 'Elspeth was an A star student and had a lovely small group of friends. Elspeth was amazingly creative and artistic. 'But she struggled with the diagnosis of Asperger's and wanted more than anything to fit in. She loved reading and always had a novel in her school bag. 'She was asked to be a prefect in year 11 and did a fine job upholding school rules and requirements. She was a talented student with a depth of intelligence and capability beyond her years.' Assistant Coroner Catherine McKenna recorded a conclusion of suicide and said: 'I am conscious that Elspeth was a very private young woman and would probably not be happy that we've had this Inquest. She was a bright witty talented young woman and she had much to look forward to in her life.' For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details.
target: Elspeth McKendrick was left shattered by Asperger's syndrome diagnosis .
  Her parents said she was 'very much in denial' about her condition .
  She had a small circle of friends at school but wanted a 'close best friend'
  Gifted teen had  scored a string of GCSE A*s and won a place at Art college .