AN investigation is under way at Lancaster University to examine a £70,000 shortfall in rents collected from the Graduate College.

A report is due to go before the university council where the rent discrepancy will be discussed.

A spokesman at the university stressed that no individuals were under investigation and that the final sum could be less than £70,000.

But the rent discrepancy is just the latest in a string of setbacks and scandals at the Graduate College.

Three students at the college have died in the recent months and another student has appeared in court for downloading child porn from the Internet.

On Tuesday a Palestinian student was found dead in his room at the college. Nasser Yousef had arrived in Lancaster to take an MA in Peace Studies at the politics department.

The coroner's office is dealing with the death and has removed a note, apparently written by Mr Yousef, who comes from the Gaza Strip.

The Student Support Office is trying to contact his family and a university spokeswoman said: "This is a shocking tragedy for the university and the community and we are doing everything to trace his family."

Mr Yousef's death follows a tragic diving accident in Coniston Water in which Graduate College student Jeremy Boothroyd died and, in June, brilliant maths student Marc Wasley leapt to his death from Ashton Memorial in Williamson Park. The coroner recorded a verdict of suicide.

At the end of September, PhD student David Ringwood was arrested and charged for dowloading 43 sexual images which featured children.

He was placed on probation for two years and on the Sex Offenders' Register for five years.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.