The son of North Wiltshire MP James Gray watched helplessly as his friend 'dived' to his death from a balcony at a London club, wearing only his boxer shorts, an inquest heard on Wednesday.

John Gray, 18, had gone with Giles Norman , 19, of London, to the Ocean Club, in Hackney, on September 27.

Although Mr Norman told Mr Gray he had taken LSD, the drug was not found in his body. But a pathologist said he could have been experiencing flashbacks, which can occur up to four years after using the drug, and can be triggered by cannabis, which was found in his system.

Mr Norman died in hospital on September 30.

Mr Gray did not attend the inquest in London In a statement he said: "Giles appeared happy but his moods were going up and down.

"He had his trousers off an hour before he fell. It was hot and people had their shirts off.

"Giles was in the habit of climbing on fences and jumping off but this has never been a dangerous wanting of attention."

The pathologist gave the cause of death as multiple injuries and said the cannabis detected did not necessarily mean that Mr Norman had used the drug on that night.

Recording an open verdict coroner Dr Andrew Reid said: "There is no unequivocal evidence that he took LSD. There is a factual gap in the evidence."