Mystery surrounds the death of a student who fell to his death at a Welsh beauty spot Robin Alec Davies' body was found on a ledge two-thirds of the way down Constitution Hill, Aberystwyth, in August last year.

The 26-year-old, from Bognor, was studying fine art at Aberystwyth University at the time.

An inquest into his death, held in Cardigan, Wales, was told that the week before his death he had appeared worried about debts.

His father Richard Davies told the hearing that his son had called him on July 27 last year and asked him to visit.

He said: “He asked me to come and see him. It was unusual. Normally he’d call and say he wanted to come home but didn’t have the money. I’d give it to him and he’d get the train.”

Mr Davies met his son on the seafront and they went for lunch.

“He said his drink had been spiked and that he didn’t feel well.

“But he seemed okay.

“He was a bit worried about money, like all students. He said he was £1,000 in debt. I told him not to worry about that.”

The inquest was told that the 26-year-old had been planning to stay in the town to teach.

Mr Davies left his son at about 6pm that night.

He said: “That was the last I saw of him, or heard from him.”

Mr Davies said he knew his son had taken drugs from time to time and believed he had smoked cannabis for some years.

A statement from his mother, Denise, was read out in court.

In it she said she believed her son had taken his own life.

But coroner Peter Brunton recorded an open verdict, saying there was no evidence Mr Davies had either slipped or jumped from the cliff top.

He said: “Constitution Hill is a well-known landmark.

“There is no fencing, no barriers, no forms of restraint and people do, unfortunately fall off Constitution Hill for a variety of reasons.

“Suicide has been mentioned but there is not a shred of evidence before me to suggest that.

“This is a very sad ending to a very short life.”