A university student from south Wales has been found dead after taking anti-malaria tablets.

Cambridge undergraduate Vanessa Brunt, 22, is believed to have killed herself after side-effects of the drugs made her severely depressed.

She became both physically and mentally ill within weeks of taking them

Vanessa's father, Michael

She took a course of anti-malaria tablets while having a year out from her studies to travel and teach in the Far East.

But her family, who live in King George Court, Sketty, in Swansea, said she suffered an adverse reaction to the drug and had suffered from depression ever since.

Her father, educational consultant Michael Brunt, 55, said on Sunday: "She had wonderful potential, but sadly that will never now be realised."

Vanessa achieved top grades in her A-levels and won a place at Peterhouse College, Cambridge, to study English and French law.

Mosquitos carry malaria to millions of people

But she opted to take a gap year to teach English to schoolchildren in China.

While there she decided to travel in South East Asia and was advised to take anti-malaria tablets.

"She asked us to send her the tablets and we went to see our family doctor to get a prescription," Mr Brunt said.

"She had only been taking them for a few weeks when her illness started."

"Too ill to study"

Vanessa returned to Britain and took up her place at Cambridge but was forced to leave after just one term.

"She became too ill to continue and the university said they would hold open a place for her when she was well enough to return," her father added.

She was treated at hospitals in Paris while staying with relatives of her French-born mother, Fortunee.

She returned to her family home last Thursday and suffered a sudden relapse.

Her parents said she told them she was going out for a walk but, when she failed to return, a police search was launched.

Unconscious

Former classmates from Olchfa School joined in the search.

Police tracker dogs found her unconscious in countryside 30 hours later just a quarter of a mile from home.

She was taken to Morriston Hospital but died later that day with her family at her bedside.

"I knew the area where Vanessa would have gone walking, and while I was out looking I must have been only a few yards from where she was found," said her father.

No legal action

"Even if I had found her then it would have been too late to save her. We are heartbroken - we have lost a wonderful daughter who had so much to give."

The Brunts, who have another daughter Estelle, 24, have decided against taking legal action against the manufacturers of the anti-malaria drug.

"We are in no doubt that the tablets caused Vanessa's illness - she became both physically and mentally ill within weeks of taking them.

"But she is not the only victim. There has been previous legal action which failed."

Paris burial

Some brands of anti-malarial tablets carry warnings of side effects, including panic attacks and depression.

Vanessa will be buried in Paris and a memorial service will be held in Swansea on 3 September.

Her family has asked for friends not to send flowers but to make a donation to the mental health charity Rethink.

South Wales Police said they were not treating the death as suspicious and an inquest would be opened next week.