Nick Alexander died from bullet wounds to stomach and chest

Nick Alexander, 35, was one of those killed in the Bataclan nightclub during the Paris attacks on 13 November

The British man killed in the Paris attacks died from gunshot wounds to his stomach and chest, an inquest has heard.

Nick Alexander, 35, from Colchester, Essex, was killed on 13 November at the Bataclan nightclub.

He was identified by his fingerprints, Chelmsford Coroner's Court heard.

The hearing took place as his parents attended a ceremony for the victims in France.

They said they would be "proud to stand... in unity" with those taking part in the memorial service in Paris.

"Words cannot express the sadness we feel at the loss of our precious Nick," they said.

French President Francois Hollande attended the national memorial service in Paris to remember the victims

Mr Alexander was selling band merchandise for Eagles of Death Metal at the nightclub when he was killed in one of a series of co-ordinated attacks by gunmen across the city.

A post mortem examination was carried out on his body at Colchester General Hospital two days ago, the court heard.

Updates on this story and more from Essex

Senior Coroner Mrs Caroline Beasley-Murray said: "Please could the court's sympathy be expressed to the family.

"The court realises what a dreadful time this is for them."

She said his body could now be released so funeral arrangements could be made.

The Foreign Office has told the BBC, Mr Alexander was the only British national to die in the attacks.

His parents joined about 1,000 others, including President Francois Hollande, for the service where a minute's silence was held and the victims' names were read out.

Some of those wounded during the attacks were accompanied by French Red Cross medics

"This is just the beginning of a long road where we will have to get used to the absence of his physical presence around us - a physical presence that we loved so much, that made us laugh, that we loved being with, and always held us close wherever he was," they said in their statement.

"We will get through this with the love and strength of our beloved family, friends and colleagues, and the support of so many people we have never even met.

"The outpouring of love from around the world has been a great comfort to us and makes us even more proud to have had Nick as our son.

"We will love and miss him forever."