Cambridge death fall student Thomas Millward 'had LSD in system'

Thomas Millward's parents said the engineering student was one of the most promising young men of his generation

A Cambridge University student who died in a fall had LSD in his system at the time, an inquest has heard.

Thomas Millward, from Cheltenham, was found with head injuries at Girton College and died the next day.

The 19-year-old's father, Brian, expressed concerns at the lack of a post-mortem examination.

Assistant coroner Simon Milburn said further evidence regarding the hallucinogenic drug would be heard at a three-day jury inquest.

The pre-inquest hearing, in Huntingdon, was told evidence of two people running up and down a corridor before the incident and of a footprint on a vending machine would be considered.

Brian Millward told the court he understood the coroner had ruled out a post-mortem because "attending doctors were able to say with a significant degree of certainty what the medical cause of death was".

But, he said, his son had a knee problem, and he felt the examination "might have given possible indications of how high he fell from, whether his knee had given way, or that kind of thing".

Girton College was founded in 1869 as Britain's first residential college for women. Male students were admitted more than 30 years ago

He also told the court he was concerned the guard rail on the upper floor at Girton College "was considerably lower than the building regulations would recommend".

A university spokesman said: "Girton College continues to mourn the loss of Thomas Millward, who is remembered as a gifted student, loyal friend and keen sportsman."