It may never be known how a teenage angler who drowned in a fishing lake near Dartford ended up in the water.

The body of Jack Morrisson, 16, was found at Dartford and District Angling and Preservation Society’s (DDAPS) Sutton-at-Hone fishing venue on Saturday, December 17.

He had spent the night there fishing alone, an inquest at Archbishop’s Palace in Maidstone heard today.

But the hearing was told his dad was forced to end contact with his son weeks before his death, after he was arrested for allegedly assaulting the teenager.

The schoolboy, who lived with his mum Janine in Fawkham, was wearing padded wading trousers that came up to his chest when his body was pulled from the water, but it is not known whether he walked into the water deliberately or fell.

Speaking at the hearing, Detective Sergeant Steve Smith said: “He would often go fishing alone and stay overnight at the lakes.

“He had entered the water either intentionally as part of his fishing or accidentally fell in and was unable to get out.”

Det Sgt Smith said Jack, who was taught to fish by his dad as a youngster, was well prepared for spending the night at the lake and had good equipment.

He had a few days off school before Christmas and was dropped off at the lake by a relative on Thursday, December 15 where he pitched his bivvy in a part of the lake called Cottage Bay.

A friend visited Jack, a Longfield Academy pupil, and brought him food and milk then left him to fish alone.

The following day, at about 1pm, another angler, who had been fishing on the opposite side of the lake, walked past Jack’s pitch as he looked for a different spot to fish and noticed the teenager’s rods were partially in the water but he was nowhere to be found, Det Sgt Smith said.

The man, who knew of Jack and had seen him fishing there earlier that morning, called a mutual friend who sent a text message to Jack’s mum asking if she had seen him.

Lake staff were informed that Jack was missing and they alerted police.

Officers launched a 24-hour search around the lake and in the water, assisted by Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Kent Search and Rescue and the force’s own helicopter.

Jack’s lifeless body was eventually pulled from the water by rescuers. It had been 7ft below the surface not far from the site where he had been fishing.

The officer said there were no injuries on Jack’s body and no sign he had been involved in a struggle with another person.

CCTV at the lake’s car park did not show anyone entering the park after Jack was last seen alive until emergency services arrived.

There was no evidence to suggest Jack would have taken his own life, the officer added.

During the inquest Det Sgt Smith revealed that the last time Jack and his father John had seen one another, on December 3, it had ended in a fight and Mr Morrisson senior had been arrested on suspicion of assault.

As part of his bail conditions the father had been ordered not to contact his son and the pair hadn’t spoken since.

Det Sgt Smith said: “There was no evidence to suggest Jack was at serious risk of harm from his father.”

After his death, Jack’s devastated family released a statement that said: “Jack, you were like a beautiful angel that we were sent. We have been so lucky to have you and you were amazing.

“Although our hearts are broken that your life was short we want to celebrate your life that we were so blessed to be a part of.”

A fundraising page set up by DDAPS to raise £7,000 for Jack’s funeral reached £18,000.

Returning a conclusion of death by misadventure, North West Kent coroner Roger Hatch said: “Unfortunately we shall never know how it was that Jack ended up in the fishing lake.”