AN inquest into the death of a Teesside student found dead in the Lake District has been halted after his family's solicitor complained of too many gaps in the evidence.

A second hearing examining the disappearance of 20-year-old Matthew Jordan, from Nunthorpe, will now be arranged with new witnesses expected to be called.

The Teesside University criminology student's body was found in Windermere in April - 20 days after he disappeared.

Mr Jordan was visiting the Bowness area with three friends when he became separated from the group during a night out on March 27 after he had gone to use the toilet.

Lawyer Kieran Rainey, who represented Mr Jordan's family, said after the hearing at Kendal County Hall had been halted, that there was a significant gap between the student last being seen and him ending up in the lake.

Coroner Ian Smith said he did not want the family to go away unhappy, but warned all the answers may never be known.

Bernadette Jackson, for the Kendal-based Arnold Greenwood solicitors who are representing the family, said in a statement: “There is no criticism of anyone in this matter.

"The issue is that, there is a gap in the evidence for the period between Matthew leaving the Hole in the Wall (public house) to the time when he entered the lake.

"We understand that there is further evidence which was not produced at the inquest and we will be requesting sight of that evidence in the hope that this will provide a clearer picture of events.”

Matthew’s mother Claire, 43, told the inquest her son was good at directions and she could not understand how he ended up on Rayrigg Road near the lake.

“There’s still a gap and we are still adamant people have seen him on Rayrigg Road that night and that Matthew would have asked them for help,” she said.

The family remain mystified as to why Matthew’s iPhone - found on his body in the water - still works despite apparently being underwater for 20 days.

His wallet also contained £43 - more than enough for a taxi.

A bruise on Mr Jordan's head was found during a post-mortem examination but a small cut to his eye was missed.

Friends Michael Blakey, Jordan Gill and David Russell said he had drunk around six-and-half pints of lager, some shots and half-a-bottle of wine.

Tests showed he was two-and-half times the drink-drive limit, which insufficient to kill him, the inquest was told.