Student dies at freshers' week party

A 19-year-old university student died after collapsing at a freshers' party in a nightclub.

The teenager, named in reports as Tom Reid from Garforth in Leeds, collapsed at an event for University College London (UCL) students at Koko in Camden Town yesterday morning.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We were called by staff at University College Hospital at 3am on Monday to a patient admitted suffering what is believed to be a heart attack.

"The man, aged 19, was pronounced dead at 3.33am. A post-mortem will follow. The death is being treated as unexplained and Camden CID are investigating."

A joint statement issued by UCL and its student union said a similar freshers' event would be cancelled as a mark of respect.

It stated: "The UCL community was deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the death of a UCL undergraduate who was about to begin his degree here. Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this time."

Friends of the dead teenager left tributes on thestudentroom.co.uk website.

One wrote: "He was the most incredible person and was loved by so many people who he had just met at uni, and back in his hometown."

Another statement left by a poster from Leeds said: "I'm not releasing details or anything but he was the kindest and best friend someone could wish for. The fact that there's almost an entire town in mourning shows this."