TWO students who were killed in separate incidents before they completed their degrees were recognised by a North-East university yesterday.

The families of Paul Simpson and Sara Cameron visited the University of Northumbria, in Newcastle, as thousands of students received their degrees at a graduation ceremony.

A tree was dedicated to Mr Simpson, 34, who died in March this year after an incident near his Darlington home. His partner, Tricia, and their daughters received the degree he came so close to finishing.

The family collected the BSC (Hons) in Development and Surveying degree in which Paul managed to earn a 2.1 grade.

His course leader, Simon Robson, said: "If we could fill our course with Paul Simpsons, we would be very happy."

Mr Simpson went to university after being made redundant from his last full-time job.

Murdered Sara did not get far enough through her BSc (Hons) Sports Management (European) degree course to get a grade, but her father, Roy, picked up a degree aegrotat at the ceremony.

He also awarded the Sara Cameron Memorial Prize, in memory of his daughter's all- round contribution to the department of sports sciences, to Neil McCallum.

A bench was dedicated to Sara outside the university's Ellison Building.

Sara, 21, died on April 20, last year, following an attack near her home in Earsdon, North Tyneside.

* Alfred Welch, 21, of Harris Street, Darlington, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Simpson, and is remanded on custody awaiting trial at Teesside Crown Court.