A Sudanese man hoping to study in Britain died on board the back of a freight train bound for Folkestone, an inquest heard.

Husham Osman Alzubair suffered a catastrophic head injury on a Eurotunnel freight train from Coquelles.

Mr Alzubair, 22, would have died immediately from the impact, the hearing at Folkestone Magistrates Court heard today.

He was hoping to begin a Masters degree in civil engineering in the UK and was an engineering graduate, the court heard.

His brother, Husam, two cousins and a friend travelled down to Kent from Birmingham this morning to be at the hearing.

An investigation was launched after a body was found on freight mission 7183 which arrived in Folkestone shortly after 4am on July 23.

Kent Police were first alerted by Channel Tunnel security staff at 4.13am after they spotted a "lifeless" person on the back of a carriage.

"My understanding is that the head injury was so catastrophic he would have died immediately. Police tried to resuscitate him but it was hopeless" - Coroner Rachel Redman

The hearing was told Mr Alzubair, who was born in Darfur, had left his village near the capital Khartoum earlier this year.

Both his parents still live in Sudan and his brother was not aware he was on his way to Britain.

He was first referred to as an "unidentified male" in the early investigations after no identification was found on him.

Coroner Rachel Redman thanked the efforts of Sean O'Neill, a journalist for The Times who was working with refugees camped in Calais, for establishing he had links to Birmingham.

His uncle and then his brother were located in the city after an image of a Barclaycard in his brother’s name was found by detectives among 10,000 images on a mobile phone found on him led.

Subsequent DNA tests proved his identity.

DS Matthew Jones from Kent Police said: "One of the first actions we conducted was to ask the French side of the Channel Tunnel to check their CCTV, which they did.

"They had spotted what looked like a body but the train had not stopped at that time.

"Staff were on the platform due to a number of clandestine actions that night.

"We initially believed the male to be a child estimated to be aged 15 to 17 by the officers at the scene."

Data from the mobile phone sim card showed the final call was made at 2.50am, 13 minutes before he was first spotted on the back of the train on CCTV.

Toxicology reports revealed no alcohol or drugs were in Mr Albuzair’s body.

The inquest heard no footage was found of Mr Albuzair boarding the train.

Mrs Redman said: "My understanding is that the head injury was so catastrophic he would have died immediately. Police tried to resuscitate him but it was hopeless."

Among some 10,000 pictures was one of a Barclaycard in his brother’s name which later led detectives to Husam Albuzair.

Mr Albuzair’s death came at the height of the migrant crisis in the summer.

Det Sgt Jones told the inquest that security staff and police in Folkestone were already dealing with 46 “clandestines” trying to reach the UK that night.

Answering a question from Husam about where his brother was injured, Det Sgt Jones said: "We have no information to establish where and when he died. Our best guess is that during that time clandestines were running along and jumping.

“We suspect that when your brother jumped on to the train he sustained the injury but I have no CCTV evidence of that.

“There’s CCTV but not of your brother jumping on the train.”

But his family are still looking for answers after no conclusive evidence could be found about exactly when Mr Alzubair suffered the fatal injury.

Brother Husam said he was "not happy" they still did not really know what had happened.

Mrs Redman told the hearing she had been asked to write a report requesting Eurotunnel "review its security procedures" from DCI Simon Morris of Kent Police.

But she added: "This is the only death but I've heard the numbers have abated in recent times.

"One of the reasons is French police have increased their security.

"In this case I will not write a report. If a similar death is reported to me I shall refer back to Mr Alzubair's death.

"I conclude that I shall record as that of accidental death.

"He was clearly able to get access to the secure area and access the train.

"At some point when he got on the train he suffered a massive head injury."