THE funeral takes place tomorrow of a 21-year-old Durham University student.

Fellow undergraduates will join family and other friends at the city's cathedral to pay their final respects to Patrick Brown.

Durham's dean and chapter gave special permission for the service to take place at the cathedral due to the anticipated large number of mourners.

It will be followed by private burial at Durham's South Road Cemetery.

Mr Brown, of University College, Durham, in the second year of a course in Russian, lived in shared accommodation with other students in the city.

The former Newcastle Royal Grammar School pupil's family home was in the Tyne Valley, in south Northumberland.

He died in Dryburn Hospital, Durham, shortly after being found at the foot of a grassy embankment near the city's railway station at about 2.30am on Saturday, March 3.

A post-mortem examination confirmed he died from head and spinal injuries.

Tomorrow's service is at 2.30pm. His family request donations to be made in lieu of flowers to the RNLI Lifeboat Appeal, at Tynemouth.

l Christopher Woolley, 24, a builder's mate, of Bek Road, Newton Hall, Durham, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Monday, accused of Mr Brown's murder. He was remanded in custody until April 9.