A coroner has recorded an open verdict on a day-tripper who fell to his death from a cliff while looking out to sea through binoculars.

East Sussex Coroner Alan Craze said he could find no firm evidence that 28-year-old student Menya Kibedi had fallen from Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, by accident or on purpose.

The Eastbourne inquest heard Ugandan Mr Kibedi was spotted standing on the cliff edge at Beachy Head on August 3.

Graham Jansen, of Darenth in Kent, said he had glimpsed the man as he cycled past with a friend.

He said he had been looking out to sea through binoculars before another sightseer noticed he had disappeared.

He said: "I looked over the edge and I could see him lying on the rocks below."

Mr Jansen raised the alarm with his mobile phone. A police helicopter later found the body of Mr Kibedi, of Beckenham in Kent.

A post mortem revealed the former Durham University student would have been about two-and-a-half times over the legal alcohol limit for driving at the time of the fall. A return train ticket was found in his pocket.

Mr Craze said: "If there were evidence to show that in more probability than not Mr Kibedi had slipped and gone over the cliff by accident then that would be the verdict.

"Unfortunately he was not seen to go over the cliff at all."