A 19-year-old Leeds University student has died after falling 40 feet from a staircase at a rugby union stadium in Exeter.

The student, who has been named as Gareth Mound, had just completed the first year of his Economics degree at the University.

The incident took place during a wedding party that was being held at Sandy Park on the evening of Saturday 1st August.  Mound was taken to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, but died as a result of serious head injuries.

A Facebook tribute page that has been set up in his memory has described him as ‘One of the funniest, most energetic and sociable friend/family any of us could have hoped for’.

Mound had just received a First in his first year of his Economics degree and was also an active member of Leeds University’s Volleyball Club and the Leeds Snowriders.

The incident has been reported to the Health and Safety Executive and Exeter City Council, however, the death is not being treated as suspicious.

Exeter City Council has said: “We have been conducting an investigation into this tragic accident, liaising closely with the police and the management at Sandy Park Conference Centre.”

The coroner’s office for Exeter and the Greater Devon District has confirmed that an inquest into his death has begun.

 

Shamima Noor