A bullied "emo" schoolgirl accidentally hanged herself after experimenting with a new "crossing over" fainting technique to be "reborn into a new life", an inquest heard yesterday.

Sian Jones, 13, used a "goth" website to research the bizarre ritual of using asphyxiation to get rid of personal problems.

The new craze urges people in difficulty to make themselves faint and awaken a new and happier person.

Sian – whose family claims she was being bullied at school – copied the technique by tying a red dog leash round her neck. She then slammed the door shut and the collar choked her but instead of fainting she collapsed and never regained consciousness.

Sian, of Plymouth, Devon, was found by her mother hanging from the door and was rushed to hospital but died of her injuries.

An inquest heard police found websites on her computer describing the "crossing over" fainting technique.

She had spent the evening looking at the internet and also made notes in her diary about how to make herself unconscious.

Inspector Barry Walter told the inquest in Plymouth, Devon: "She was described as a goth or an emo and was a well-liked girl.

"Notes were found which described techniques for fainting as a way of leaving an old life behind and waking reborn with no more problems.

"There were no suicidal references. She had also been on a website that night which described the same thing.

"Earlier in the evening, she had filmed herself dancing around the flat to music and had changed her Facebook profile picture. This suggests that she was not suicidal but her death was an accident."

Sian was found hanged from a door handle on June 22 this year in a flat she shared with her mother and sister Adele.

Family friend Ian Wilson said that Sian had been the victim of bullying and that even since her death there have been threatening posts made on internet sites.

He told the inquest in Plymouth: "Sian was the subject of bullying at school and had contacted teachers to tell them she was unhappy.

"Even after she died Facebook comments were left which were threatening and derogatory. We believe that bullying contributed to what happened and led to research these websites."

But Inspector Walter said that after speaking to her friends he ruled out bullying as a factor for suicide. He said: "Sian had a good circle of friends. Our investigation did not find any major incidents of bullying other than two incidents which were dealt with by the school."

Plymouth Coroner Ian Arrow recorded a verdict of accidental death resulting from unintended consequences of an act of asphyxiation.

He said: "I have had to discount suicide because there is no evidence she intended to take her life. There was no note left and no discussion of suicide prior to her death."

Speaking at the time of her death her mother said she was "beautiful and happy" but had been bullied at school.

Sarah said: "I know that she was bullied but I do not want any anger or hate. I don't want to taint her memory like that.

"There was nothing horrible about her, she loved everything. I can't sum her up, there were so many lovely things about her."