Student Justin Browning's Japan building fall 'accidental'

Image source, Family photo

Image caption, Staff at Durham University said Justin Browning was "one of our very best" history students

The death of an "exemplary" British student who fell from a Tokyo building during New Year celebrations was an accident, an inquest has ruled.

Justin Browning, 21, from Rudgwick, was on a year abroad at Waseda University in Tokyo when the tragedy happened.

It is thought the Durham University student had gone to the top of the high-rise building to watch fireworks.

A documentary inquest at West Sussex Coroner's Court gave a verdict of accidental death.

Staff at Durham University were left "shocked and saddened" at the sudden death of Mr Browning on 1 January.

They said the "well-liked" pupil, in the third year of his history degree, was a "model student" on course for a "strong first class degree".

At the time of his death, the university revealed that his project on Tibetan Buddhist folklore and ethnicity had been accepted for publication in the Princeton Journal of East Asian Studies.