A young man found dead at the foot of the Erskine Bridge has been identified as Russell Nicolson, a student at Edinburgh's Napier University.

His body was found by police on the banks of the Clyde on Thursday, after he had apparently leapt 100ft to his death from the bridge.

A third-year marketing student at Napier University, he was believed to have been suffering from stress and severe depression brought on by his studies.

Mr Nicolson, from Bishopton, Renfrewshire, had been reported missing by student flatmates before his body was found near the notorious suicide spot.

He was the fifth Edinburgh-based student to have apparently taken his life in the last four months.

Mr Nicolson had been living with fellow students in Ardmillan Terrace, Dalry, Edinburgh. They had been worried for his safety after he locked himself in his room for an entire week before vanishing.

A friend, who did not want to be named, said: ''He used to be outgoing, but he had been acting really strangely over the last few months. He had been complaining about his college work getting on top of him.''

A Napier University spokesman said: ''The university extends its deepest sympathy to his family and friends at this terrible time.''

He added: ''We would just like to stress to our students that help is never more than a phone call away. We have a full counselling service and a welfare officer is available, along with support from the Student Association.''

Police said there were no suspicious circumstances.