THE mother of tragic York student Megan Roberts has spoken of her heartache at her daughter’s death.

The 20-year-old’s body was found in the Ouse at Acaster Malbis on March 2, six weeks after she disappeared on a night out with friends.

Her mother Jackie Roberts, from Wetherby, said she missed Megan both as a daughter and a friend.

City council officials and other organisations will meet on Tuesday to discuss river safety and a petition calling for action has generated 19,000 signatures.

Jackie said: “All her friends remember her as just being such a lovely, happy, always-smiling young lady who would do anything for anyone. She was so lovely. She had a wicked sense of humour and the thing I am going to miss most is her as a friend. As well as being mother and daughter, we were such good friends.”

Megan left Popworld in George Hudson Street in York in the early hours of January 23 and is believed to have fallen into the Ouse near Tanner’s Moat.

Jackie said there was a sense of relief when Megan’s body was found, as she had already accepted what had probably happened.

She added: “There are memories which I have, which are hard, but then they are a good thing to have so I have got to treasure those.”

A river safety summit is being held at York St John University on Tuesday, attended by North Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan, and representatives from the city council and York’s universities.