DURHAM University said there was no evidence the city had a "student bashing'' problem.

The university has about 9,000 students - about 15 per cent of the adult population. It is popularly believed in the city that "town and gown'' friction can lead to local youths attacking students.

However, the university said police figures show that only 16 of the 200 assaults in the last year were on students.

University spokesman Keith Seacroft said: "From one very tragic incident like this people should be very wary of trying to draw general conclusions about student safety.

"There is no evidence that students are any more likely to be victims of assaults than any other group of people."

Meanwhile, police have voiced concern about the growing number of deaths and serious injuries from drink-fuelled fights and late-night assaults.

Mr Brown is one of six men to have died in street violence across County Durham since March.

Detective Superintend-ent Harry Stephenson, who led the investigation into the student's death, said senior officers were "worried by what we see as a growing culture which appears to be developing among the young men of the North-East".

He said: "In some cases, it has been just one punch that has resulted in the death of the unfortunate, and often innocent, victims who are caught up in the violence."