The family of a teenager, who was found dead on rail tracks in Andover last week, have revealed they are "overwhelmed" by the support from the local community.

The body of 17-year-old Dominic Lancaster was discovered in the early hours of Friday 14 November follwing searches by Hampshire Constabulary and the British Transport Police.

Tributes for the young man quickly flooded in via social media groups and now the family of the boy have paid their own tributes in a statement released to the Andover Advertiser.

They said: “Dominic was a caring and popular young man who had a great sense of humour.

“We are beyond grief at his loss and will miss him always, forever carrying him in our hearts.

“We have been overwhelmed by the many different messages of support from so many people, especially on social media. We have felt a sense of community and have found comfort from them all.

“Dominic enjoyed sport - especially Formula One, tennis and football, and we were particularly touched by a minute’s silence for him at a local football match.

“We would also like to thank police for their support and for acting so quickly to try and find Dominic.

“If anyone else is thinking of harming themselves, we would beg them to talk to someone about it - family, friend or stranger. You are not alone.

“Papyrus is a national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide, and their webpage can be found at www.papyrus-uk.org”

Police are treating Mr. Lancaster's death as unsuspicious.

An inquest to confirm the cause will be held on 21st January next year.