Hampton Hargate headteacher Jed Holmes lit the barbecue in his home in Welbourne, Werrington, Peterborough, the day before government inspectors were due to arrive at the school.

He was overcome by the carbon monoxide fumes and was dead by the time police broke into his home in July this year.

Recording a verdict that Mr Holmes had killed himself, Peterborough coroner Gordon Ryall said: "He knew that an Ofsted inspection was imminent. There has been evidence from those working with him that he was concerned about that, not that it would seem to be that he needed to be concerned about the performance of the school.

"We can't exclude the proximity of the Ofsted inspection at the date of his death.

"It was that impending inspection that triggered off the action he decided to take.

"There was no need for that. He would have coped quite comfortably with that. It was just perhaps one thing too much for him to deal with at the time."

Mr Holmes, 53, had worked at Middleton Primary School, in Bretton, and St John's Church School, in Riseholme, Orton
Goldhay, before taking charge at Hampton Hargate.

Full story and reaction in Tuesday's Evening Telegraph,