A coroner has said there is “insufficient evidence” to rule that a journalism student who died after stepping into the path of a lorry took his own life.

George Heath, left, who studied at Staffordshire University, was killed after being hit by the HGV while on a night out with friends in March.

An inquest heard driver Thomas Minta was unable to avoid George, who died from multiple injuries at the scene on the A49 bear Tarporley, Cheshire.

George, 20, had been out drinking in Chester and had “crashed out” at a friend’s house three miles from his hometown of Tarvin, before leaving at 5.30am the following morning.

In sleeting conditions, Mr Minta said he had tried to swerve out of the way but had been unable to do so.

Second-year student George had previously seen a GP for “anxiety and low mood” but had denied any thoughts of self-harm and his father Paul told the inquest his son had “almost drawn a line” under those issues.

Cheshire Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg said a toxicology report revealed George must have drunk a considerable amount of alcohol and while it was clear George had run in front of the lorry there was insufficient evidence to conclude he had taken his own life.

Mr Rheinberg found as a matter of fact that George died as a result of a road traffic accident.

He said: “He was unsuitably dressed for the weather conditions, quite suitably dressed for what he had planned, travelling by car or by taxi, but not for a walk home.

“Exactly what he was doing is not known. Mr Heath, George’s father, wonders if he was going for an aimless walk, perhaps walking off the effects of alcohol. He must have drunk a huge amount of alcohol.

“George was still under the influence of alcohol, quite substantially, he was also inevitably frozen and people’s brain function is severely affected by the effects of extreme cold.

“Did he at that split second decide to think ‘right, this is silly, I’m going home’, jumped up and run across the road oblivious of this lorry hurtling down towards him? Quite possible.”

George was a keen footballer who played for his university’s team, and former team-mates held a match in his honour following his death.