A jury has returned a verdict of accidental death on a 16-year-old boy who died when he fell on a live railway line after drinking at a party.

Patrick Cummins, of Gerald Road, Worthing, was last seen alive making his way back from Angmering on March 23.

His body was found by a train driver at the side of the track between Bairds foot crossing and Ferring Road crossing, Angmering, the next day.

A post-mortem examination revealed he had been electrocuted.

At the inquest in Worthing yesterday, a jury heard Patrick had been seen drinking lager and vodka at the party but his friends said he did not appear to be very drunk.

His friend, Stephen King, of Courtlands Way, Worthing, said: "Patrick was just like a normal person at the party. He was happy. At the end he was drunk but not overly. He was talking and having a laugh. He could have a conversation."

A statement was read out at the hearing from Alexander Strong, of Chesswood Road, Worthing, who saw Patrick sitting outside a parade of shops in Angmering, playing with his mobile phone.

He said: "He was very drunk and stumbling all over the place."

He invited Patrick to walk to the station with him and some friends but after a while Patrick fell behind and they caught the last train back to Worthing without him.

Kelly Christie, Patrick's girlfriend, did not go to the party but she had several conversations with him via their mobiles during the evening.

Miss Christie, from Hudson Close, Durrington, said: "When I spoke to him that evening he didn't slur his words or anything."

The last person believed to have seen him alive was pensioner David Hughes of Roundstone Drive, East Preston.

He had been to the Royal British Legion club and was walking home at about 11.30pm when a boy asked where he could get a drink.

He then said he wanted a taxi and Mr Hughes told him where to find the nearest phone box.

The post-mortem examination revealed injuries on Patrick's face consistent with him having fallen on to the track without putting his hands out to stop himself.

His father, Allan Cummins, described Patrick, a GCSE student at Chatsmore Catholic High School in Goring, as a fit boy.