Meeting held in Durham over river safety

Durham University is cracking down on drinking culture after three students drowned in little over a year and a fourth had to be rescued from the river by a human chain.

The university is taking action after Sope Peters, 20, Luke Pearce, 19, and last month Euan Coulthard, also 19, died in the River Wear following nights out in the city.

A week after Mr Coulthard's body was found by a diver, police and fire officers pulled a 20-year-old student out of the river. He was treated in hospital for hypothermia.

Today agencies involved in river safety met to discuss ways to tackle the problem.

Professor Ray Hudson, acting vice-chancellor said senior management were treating "student safety and excessive alcohol consumption with the utmost seriousness".

Managers are to develop a volunteer scheme to work on night-time safety, increase alcohol education programmes and work with taxi firms to get at risk students home safely.

The university already has a minimum price policy in college bars and a policy of not serving drunken people.

It also has tried to shift the emphasis in college bars from being drinking venues to having a more social atmosphere, with coffee machines and cheap or free soft drinks at events.