A BRIGHT North-East law student jumped 150ft to his death after suffering from a winter depression disorder.

Arijit Banerjee, a final year student at Southampton University, jumped from a 16-storey tower in Southampton on Thursday.

The 25-year-old was suffering from seasonal affective disorder (Sad), a form of depression which targets sufferers in the winter months.

His parents, Amit, a GP in Stockton, and Rina, a consultant psychiatrist, were struggling to come to terms with the tragedy at their Wynyard Park home last night.

Arijit, who attended Red House School, Norton, before studying for his A-levels at Stockton Sixth Form College, had been a medical student in London before starting the law course in Southampton several years ago.

His depression started in his gap year between studying medicine and law, and he had been receiving psychological help. Arijit suffered from depression every winter, but tried to hide it from family, friends and tutors.

A spokesman for the family said: "He was so bright - he had a lovely character and an infectious personality. There have been so many people getting in touch with the family since his death. He had friends all over the country, and even friends he has not seen for five years are coming up to his funeral."

Arijit's tutors at Southampton, and his sister, Anita, a medicine student, were not aware of any problems, even the night before he died.

A service and cremation is being held at Teesside Crematorium tomorrow at 3pm.