A POPULAR Oxford University student who survived two brain tumours as a child died after falling down stairs, an inquest heard.

Conor Robinson, from Shotley Bridge, near Consett, County Durham, fell at the Longwall Annexe of Magdalen College following a night out with friends.

The accident happened on October 8 last year and he died from his injuries at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital a week later, on October 15.

The inquest at Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court heard he had been drinking and was three times the drink drive limit when he died and that could have been a factor in his fall.

After the inquest today, (Thursday, February 6) his sister, Grace Robinson, said: “Conor was a lovely son, brother, and friend who lived a very full life even though it was so short.

“He gave a lot to the people who knew him.”

The inquest heard that Mr Robinson had been for a meal at Arzoo Indian restaurant in Walton Street with a group of students who were drinking heavily before moving on to Camera nightclub in St Ebbe’s Street.

In a statement read to the court, third year student Aileen Brennan said she had walked Mr Robinson, a second year English Literature student, back to the college in High Street because they thought he had had too much to drink.

She left him at the first floor of the annexe before walking back to the nightclub.

Another student, Aisling Campbell, found Mr Robinson lying on the floor at the bottom of the stairs at about 11.30pm.

In a statement, she said: “I thought ‘Oh my God’ and ran upstairs to my room to get my phone as I had not taken it with me.”

She added: “He looked at me as if he had been passed out from being drunk.”

Mr Robinson had two brain tumours removed at the ages of 10 and 12, before developing epilepsy.

But the inquest heard that Mr Robinson’s cause of death was a traumatic head injury and there was no evidence that his fall was caused by a medical condition.

Assistant coroner Nicholas Graham said it was not clear how he fell because there were no witnesses.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, he said: “After socialising with friends on the evening of October 8, Conor returned to his college where he fell from the stairs from the first floor.”

Professor David Clary, president of Magdalen College, said after the inquest: “Conor was an extremely popular and very promising student.

“The whole college is greatly saddened by this tragic loss and our thoughts are with Conor's family and friends.”

A memorial service will be held in the college chapel on Saturday followed by the dedication of a tree.

More than £900 has been raised for Save the Children in his honour.

Donate by visiting justgiving.com/Remembering-Conor