Friend of MoneySavingExpert Martin Lewis found dead after disappearing on his 37th birthday had been struggling with anxiety from his job, inquest hears

A teacher found dead after disappearing on his 37th birthday had been struggling with anxiety from his job, an inquest heard.

Anthony Hill sparked a desperate hunt after he left the home he shared with his wife and two young daughters.

His body was found in woodland three days later, prompting financial guru Martin Lewis – who Mr Hill worked with at MoneySavingExpert for six years – to speak of his 'heavy heart' at the news.

An inquest has now heard that Mr Hill felt overwhelmed by the stress of the job at St William's Primary School in Thorpe St Andrew, Norfolk, and would wake up with 'feelings of dread'.

A nurse's statement read out at the hearing described a call with him a month before his death.

The nurse said: 'His mental health had declined and he struggled to be motivated and was low in mood.

'He found his job very stressful with all he had to do as a teacher, which was the reason for his anxiety, because he worried about his responsibility in the role.

'He said he had feelings of dread in the morning, suffering from nausea or vomiting when gearing himself up to go to work.'

Mr Hill left the Norwich home where he lived with wife Kayleigh, 36, and their daughters aged four and six on June 17.

He was found in a wooded area nearby on June 20 by a member of the public who was taking part in a search operation and was declared dead at the scene by paramedics. Handwritten notes to his family were near his body.

CCTV caught Mr Hill shopping at Homebase and buying a bottle of water at a Co-op store shortly before he took his life.

Senior Coroner Samantha Goward gave a narrative conclusion at the hearing in Norwich on Friday, saying he 'had a history of difficulties but sought to recover from this for his family'.

She added: 'Based on the CCTV and personal notes to family, I am content it was a deliberate attempt to end his life.

'However, there was a clear impact on his thought process by his underlying mental health condition.'

Mr Hill worked on the deals team at the MSE website founded by Mr Lewis before retraining to go into teaching.

After going missing, his wife posted a heartbreaking plea on social media to 'find my girls' daddy'.

Lewis wrote to his 3.1 million followers on X that the disappearance was 'devastating', adding: 'Anthony is a lovely man who used to work on the MoneySavingExpert deals team before leaving to pursue his valiant passion to get into teaching.

'I hope and pray he's okay. Please, please spread word.'

Mrs Hill replied on Facebook: 'Really appreciate Martin Lewis doing everything in his power to share this. Everyone has got so much love for Ant.'

She later called for help with the search, writing: 'Anyone who has any spare time to help is so much appreciated. I'll be out there today. We need to find my girls' daddy.'

She continued: 'Please keep looking. Please Ant, if you see any of this please come home, it doesn't matter how long you've been gone just come home. We love you and need you back.'

When the teacher's body was found, Lewis wrote: 'It's with a heavy heart I share this. My love to Ant's wife Kayleigh and their little girls. It's the worst news.

'I'm so sorry for all Ant's friends and his little pupils. I will remember you fondly Ant.

'Also, thanks to the thousands of you who shared the posts while Ant was missing, I know it gave succour to his family. RIP.'

Other tributes on social media included one that said: 'I'm very sorry to hear this. I worked with him on some content for the site years ago and I've never forgotten what a genuinely nice and decent person he was.'

Pupils at St William's Primary paid tribute to Mr Hill as their 'favourite teacher'.

The cause of death was given as hanging during a preliminary hearing.