AN 18-YEAR-OLD former grammar school pupil died after downing a bottle of rum and falling down some stairs, an inquest has heard.

Timothy Jarvis, of Crofton Lane, Petts Wood, was taken to Colchester General Hospital on October 13 last year and died the next day after being transferred to a leading Essex neurological centre.

The teenager, who previously attended St Olave’s Grammar School in Orpington, downed the alcohol in a drinking bet with his Essex University pals.

His university flatmate, Dimitris Vachaviolos, also 18 at the time, told Walthamstow Coroner’s Court: “They had a stopwatch as they drank a bottle of rum. Timothy had said he could drink the bottle in 30 minutes.

“He drank it in 15 minutes actually."

Mr Vachaviolos told the court Timothy chased him down the corridor of the flat towards his room.

Mr Vachaviolos added: “My room was at the end of the corridor.

“But he did not follow me in there. I heard the stairwell door open.

“I heard a tumble and a fall and he was lying at the bottom of the stairs.

“We called the university staff.

“If we had more time we would have called the ambulance but they cannot enter our grounds without some staff to get them.

“I’m not sure if that’s still the case now.”

The inquest continues.