An inquest is to be opened into the death of a teenage musician.

Talented 17-year-old student James Millard was found dead in his bed by a family member on Friday morning.

Paramedics were called to his seafront house in New Parade, Worthing, at 7.15am but he was already dead.

Sussex Police said a post-mortem had been carried out and they were not treating the death as suspicious. They have not revealed the cause of death.

James' parents, Paul and Suzanne, and their three children were understood to have moved to the house in New Parade seven years ago.

A family friend described James as "a happy-go-lucky kid, with lots of friends".

The friend said: "His death has come as a complete shock. I cannot make any sense of it.

"James had everything in front of him. He was very into music and was just learning to drive.

"They are a close family and I can't imagine what they must be going through. They must be absolutely devastated."

James, a former pupil at St Andrew's High School for Boys in Worthing, played drums and guitar and was a first-year student at Northbrook College studying music technology.