Father's tribute to 'loving, caring and beautiful' Dana

Trevor Baker was speaking at the conclusion of an 11-day coroner's inquiry into schoolgirl Dana Baker. The 16-year-old was found hanging from a tree in Kidderminster in 2011.

He spoke of his daughter's love of milky tea and KFC chicken, and her devotion to animals. He also described the family's feelings of loss.

"Dana death has left a big hole in our hearts that can never be filled, a missing link in the family that can never be mended," he said in a statement read out at the Stourport inquest.

He said he and his wife Patricia could not understand why she chose not to live with them or even to see them.

The sporty teen, who represented Great Britain in karate, was being fostered after it was revealed she was having a relationship with her martial arts teacher Jaspal Riat, then 49, who was jailed for eight years for sexual abuse.

She had become 'hysterical' when told the fostering arrangement with the couple she called 'mum' and 'dad' was coming to an end and was found dead the next day.

Dana had taken an overdose in 2009 while living at home after Riat ended their relationship. Mr Baker said he and his wife were not aware of their daughter's problems.

They visited her weekly at the Darwin psychiatric unit in Stoke-on-Trent where she was sent for treatment.

Mr Baker said they were 'devastated' when she did not want to come home.

They used to meet up with her at her first foster placement but contact ended when she moved in with her second and final carers. They last saw their daughter in Christmas 2009.

Mr Baker spoke of the A-level student's love of learning, especially languages. She could speak French, German, Japanese and Spanish, and had started to learn Mandarin.

He said: "Dana always wanted to learn more, most weekends we would book a computer at the library and Dana would just sit and read about history, it was like she just needed more info all the time."

Despite her troubled history, he said she was very much a normal teenager.

"Dana was like many girls in that she loved to shop for shoes and clothes," he said.

"She will be remembered for her politeness, great manners, loving and caring personality, and her great sense of humour, we are all extremely proud of Dana. She was a very loving girl. "

He told how she mucked out at the local stables so she could ride the horses and was also musical.

He added: "Dana has always been loved, we love and miss Dana so much. Dana was a beautiful daughter the best anyone could have wished for."

The inquest has now concluded. The coroner will announce his verdict next Thursday.