Gemma Carter was a pupil at Cockburn High School in Leeds

A teacher broke down in tears as he told an inquest how he found out one of his pupils had drowned off the coast of northern France.

Gemma Carter, 13, was last seen paddling in the shallow waters of Le Touquet along with other pupils from Cockburn High School in Leeds.

The inquest was told that her teacher Mark Duckworth took nine pupils on a paddling trip to the beach on the second day of their visit.

But the 47-year-old rejected claims by pupil Jennifer Clagett that he was told Gemma was in difficulty - and that he failed to act.

He told a jury sitting at Leeds Coroner's Court: "She (Jennifer Clagett) never said Gemma was in difficulty or in trouble or drowning or going under.

"If I had thought for one moment somebody was in the water I would have gone straight in to get them."

Gemma's teacher phoned the emergency services

He told the jury he waved the youngsters back in from the water because they had gone out too far after being told not to swim.

When it was obvious Gemma was not present, Mr Duckworth said he looked towards the water to see if she was there.

He added: "I could see nothing so I assumed Gemma had got out of the water and gone back to the hotel to get dry."

When Gemma could not be found after a search of the hotel and beach, Mr Duckworth said he decided called the emergency services.

"When you phone 999 you get an immediate response. We didn't, so I waited half-an-hour and phoned again," he said.

"They told me somebody would come, but nobody did."

The French teacher then broke down in tears as he recalled the moment he was told Gemma was dead.

"I was always hopeful until the fireman told me Gemma had drowned," he said.

Earlier, head teacher Colin Richardson told the inquest he did not receive a letter from Gemma's mother warning him that her daughter could not swim.

The inquest continues.