Tragic snowboarder Ellie Soutter's father says concussions and head injuries may have contributed to her taking her own life

Champion snowboarder Ellie Soutter died on her 18th birthday. Photo / Instagram

The heartbroken father of athlete Ellie Soutter has suggested that head injuries she suffered from snowboarding may have led to her taking her own life.

The rising snowboarding star killed herself on her 18th birthday in a remote woodland in Les Gets, France as she struggled to deal with stress.

Now, father Tony, 53, thinks that her mind may have been affected by several head injuries and concussions she'd suffered - including one that had left her unable to recognise him for seven hours.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, he said: 'She had been airlifted off the mountain about five times, each time with a head injury.

'She didn't recognise me for seven hours after the incident. She had nasty headaches and trouble sleeping.'

Tony also revealed how the University of Boston contacted him after Ellie's death and asked for a biopsy of her brain.

This led to him starting to research Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

The condition is a type of dementia associated with repeated blows to the head and recurrent episodes of concussion. It can lead to severe depression.

He added: 'Had I known about CTE I would have stopped her racing completely.'

Ellie lived in the French Alps with her father.

She took her own life shortly after being selected to represent Team GB at the Junior Snowboard World Championships in New Zealand next month.

She had been tipped to represent her country at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

400 people attended her funeral, where Ellie's simple wooden coffin was carried up the 15 granite steps of the church in Les Gets to Handel's Largo.

Afterwards, her ashes were scattered on Mont Chéry, her favourite mountain.

Tony paid tribute to her and said: 'From this day on, every snowflake that falls on Les Gets will have been ridden by Ellie first.'

In tribute to her 'amazing short life', he has pledged to create the Ellie Soutter Foundation to help young Britons become winter sports athletes like her.

Her uncle Jeremy Soutter told MailOnline there were 'no signs at all' that his 'chirpy' niece would consider killing herself.

But hinting at the pressure she put on herself he said: 'She wanted to be good at everything. She expected a lot of herself. There's certainly a lot of pressure from competing. The travelling is immense too.

'She had a very busy training schedule and generally all of that takes its toll'.

WHERE TO GET HELP:

If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.

OR IF YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE:

• LIFELINE: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633
• NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7)
• KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757​