Mourners packed a North-East church for the funeral of student Lee Walker, who died after being attacked during a night out.

More than 250 people attended St Cuthbert's Church, in Darlington, to pay their respects.

Mr Walker, 22, died on March 31, at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, after being found unconscious outside the Bar Size pub in Skinnergate, Darlington, two days earlier.

At the funeral, three songs by his favourite band U2 were played, and the congregation heard him described as a popular person and a good friend.

The vicar, the Reverend Robert Williamson, said that Mr Walker enjoyed organising social events, such as barbecues.

"He was a very gifted young man," said Mr Williamson.

"He wanted to go into the film industry and he was a very gifted writer. He wrote poems. He was very outgoing with his friends and had a lot of friends.

"He enjoyed a drink at the Slaters Arms and was a very generous person. He was a family man, a good lad who was very much part of his family and will be desperately missed by his mother, Diane, father Neil and sister Stacey."

Mr Walker, who lived in the Denes, was having a year out of Luton University, where he was studying script and creative writing. He was working at the Government agency Capita, in Darlington.

He had ambitions to become a film director and enjoyed writing poetry.

After the funeral there was a reception in Cockerton for friends and family.

* Lloyd Smith, 29, of Corporation Road, Darlington, has been charged with murdering Lee Walker and attempting to steal his passport, cash and personal stereo.

The case was adjourned by Judge Peter Fox, at Teesside Crown Court, until June 4, after he was told more time was needed to complete forensic tests and serve prosecution papers.

A second man, aged 33, who has not been named by police, was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm on a friend of Mr Walker's, and will appear before Darlington magistrates later this month.