THE parents of tragic student Richard Preece say they will never fully recover from the horror of losing their son.

Dennis and Margaret Preece attended a memorial service at Lancaster University on Friday before the inquest into Richard's death.

The service, attended by around 90 students and staff, heard readings, including one from Richard's favourite book, 1984.

Mr Preece said: "Nobody could have been closer than Margaret and Richard.

My relationship was not the same, but there was a lot of respect there.

He wanted me to be proud of him and I was.

He knew we loved him."

"He did his first length in swimming and it must have taken him 15 minutes, but he did it.

His first words were 'are you proud of me dad? I was and I still am."

Mrs Preece said: "I will miss him for everything he used to say to me.

As old as he was, when he was at home he used to give me a kiss and say 'I love you.'"

Mr Preece stressed that, despite the circumstances of his death, his son was not a heavy drinker.

"At 9.30pm he was making phone calls so how drunk could he have been?" said Mr Preece: "I don't want people to get the impression that he had gone out and drunk and drunk and drunk.

That wouldn't be fair to his memory."

Richard is now to be honoured by his former school with an annual prize for work in English.

Mr Preece also thanked the many people who had helped in the rescue bid, including the police, the army and the media.