THE son of a west Oxfordshire aristocrat who shot himself dead while on the phone to police had just split up with his girlfriend, it has emerged.

Alexander Codrington, 16, son of baronet Sir Christopher Codrington, was found dead in woodland near the family home in Fordwells, shortly before dawn on Friday.

Last night villagers expressed their shock at the death of the “polite and helpful” teenager.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating how officers handled the incident.

In a statement last night, the Codrington family said: “Our loving son, devoted and kind hearted brother, Alexander, died tragically in the early hours of Friday, aged 16.

“He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

“His humour, his loyalty, his love of the outdoors will long be remembered by the family and friends with whom he spent many happy days.

“We will all carry many happy memories of this wonderful, beautiful boy.

“This is a tragic time for the Codrington family and we should like to thank the local community, our extended family and friends and the police for all the support they have shown us.”

Muriel Williams, 73, of Swinbrook Road, Fordwells, saw Alexander for the last time on Thursday.

She said he was sitting at the side of the road when she went to water her plants.

The 73-year-old said: “He wasn’t his usual self, he didn’t say ‘Hello Muriel’ as he had always done.

“He was on his mobile phone and seemed very upset.”

She added: “I’m broken-hearted. He was such a nice boy, you could not wish for a better boy. The whole village is devastated.”

The alarm was believed to have been raised at 3.20am by Alexander’s former girlfriend, after they had decided to split up.

She called police, telling them that Alexander had a gun and had taken her mobile phone, and she was worried about him.

Armed police and a helicopter began a search, while other officers called him on the mobile phone and talked to him.

However, at 5.20am, they heard a gun shot at the end of the line. His body was found soon afterwards.

Alexander had a younger brother William, 14, and sister Cecilia, 13.

He had been a pupil at the £27,000-a-year Stowe School, in Buckinghamshire, and was due to join the sixth-form at St Edward’s School, in North Oxford, next month.

Another villager, who used to babysit Alex and asked not to be named, said: “I keep thinking he could have talked to somebody.

“The sense of loss is really deep for the whole of the village, because we’re so small. We all know each other.

“It’s very, very sad. He was very polite and helpful, he wasn’t your normal brash teenager.”

A Facebook tribute group has been set up by his friends. One message read: “R.I.P, you will be missed. xxxxx Alex Hambro Ra.”

Daisy Simpson said: “In complete shock....RIP.”

An inquest into the death was opened and adjourned by the county coroner on Monday.

Mike Franklin, IPCC Commissioner for the South East, said: “Police officers were in the area and in contact with him shortly before he died.

“We will therefore be examining the actions of the various officers involved to see whether anything at all could have been done differently and have prevented this tragic outcome.”

Thames Valley Police spokesman Rebecca Webber said last night: “As this was a fear for welfare inquiry, where Thames Valley Police was actively searching for the boy and officers were in the vicinity of where the body was later found, the matter has been referred to the IPCC, which is managing the investigation.”