Sarah Hurley, aged 18, died in her room in the William Carey halls of residence on Park campus on Thursday after suffering a suspected brain haemorrhage.

Friends and family of the student, who started her sociology degree in September, have paid tribute to her and more than 800 people have joined a Facebook group set up in her memory.

Sarah's mother Alison wrote on Facebook: "It's a comfort to read all the messages that have been written about Sarah. It hasn't hit home yet that this has happened. We all went to see her on Friday at the hospital and it was so hard."

Preliminary investigations by the coroner have ruled out meningitis or other infectious diseases.

Sarah's sister, Louise, aged 23, wrote on Facebook: "The family do not see any reason for people not knowing the reason of Sarah's passing. We do not want to cause any suspicion around the reasons by not letting others know.

"In truth, we do not know the official reason ourselves, as we are still awaiting test results. However what we have been told so far is that Sarah suffered a brain haemorrhage. Sarah did not suffer any long-term heath problems, so the news was as much a shock to us any anybody else."

More than 100 students from the university are planning to go out in Northampton tomorrow night to celebrate her life and drink in her honour.

Sarah's friends from Hatch End High School in Harrow are also arranging their own tribute to her which could include planting a tree or buying a memorial bench.

Before going to university Sarah lived with her mother Alison, 49, a nurse, and IT worker father Stephen, 50, at their home in Stanmore, Middlesex.