THE parents of a student who died of a suspected drug overdose say they are being comforted in their grief by the tributes his friends have paid him.

James Matthews, 23, from Edmundbyers, near Consett, County Durham, collapsed and died last Wednesday at his home in Seventh Avenue, Tang Hall, York. He was studying politics, economics and philosophy at the University of York.

Police investigating the death of the third-year student have since arrested two men, aged 28 and 36, on suspicion of supplying drugs.

James, who took A-Levels at Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham, Northumberland, lived in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, for some years previously.

His parents Robert and Janet said last night that the death of their only son was a “shocking, terrible thing that we are having to deal with.’’

Mr Matthews said: “He will be terribly missed by ourselves. The tributes on his Facebook page show he was well liked and a very popular lad.

“They are very comforting at this time. It is a very sad loss for my wife and I. There is not a lot more we can say. He will be sadly missed by a lot of people.’’ Mrs Matthews said: “A lot of his friends on Facebook have said some brilliant things about him.

“He was quite a flamboyant dresser and he loved his drum and bass music. He composed a lot of it himself.’’ Her husband said: “He used to do a lot of DJ-ing down at the university.’’ Professor Neil Carter, James’s university supervisor, described him as a “very likeable young man’’ who “made great efforts to get to university and was determined to succeed in his studies’’.

A university spokesman said it was offering support to James’s friends.

He said: “We are greatly saddened by the tragic death of James Matthews.’’ Detective Inspector Dave Ellis, of York CID, said police were treating the incident seriously.

He said: “Whether it is Class A “hard’’ drugs, or those apparently more socially acceptable, we always treat the supply of legal drugs seriously.”

The two arrested men have been released on police bail while police continue their further inquiries.