A clubber has died after taking ecstasy at a top music venue's rave night.

Jason Manville, 26, a father-of-one of Boundstone Close, Lancing, took the class-A drug with friends but later fell ill during the early hours of the morning.

The shop manager, who leaves an eight-year-old daughter, had travelled with friends from Sussex to a trance and hard house event at London's renowned Brixton Academy.

During the night, he complained of feeling ill to the club's staff and was initially taken to the venue's medical room but his condition worsened.

He was rushed to King's College Hospital in the club's private ambulance but medics could not save his life.

His sister, mother and girlfriend were coming to terms with his death at the home in Boundstone Close yesterday, where they were comforting each other.

They said they could not believe his death was the result of drug-taking.

The family did not want to talk about their tragic ordeal and wanted to wait until the results of an inquest before making any comment other than that he was a "great bloke".

Officers seized a number of pills from the same batch as those he had swallowed but said there was "nothing unusual" about the tablets.

Mr Manville, who was unmarried and used to live in Southwick, arrived at the club for its Supernova night sometime before 10pm on Saturday. He died hours later at about 4.30am.

He was thought to be fit and healthy before he took the drug.

Police have yet to confirm cause of death but officers discovered three tablets among his possessions and were told he had taken the drug.

A post-mortem has been carried out and an inquest opened and adjourned.

No arrests have been made and police are waiting for the results of a toxicology test.

Superintendent Stewart Low from Brixton Police Station said: "This is an unnecessary loss of a young man's life.

"The links between clubbing events and drugs must be broken."

Police said none of Mr Manville's friends, who took ecstasy with him at the event, were harmed.

In a separate ordeal facing the family, police are trying to trace Mr Manville's father George Manville, who has been missing for more than six weeks.

Relatives hope the tragic news about his son may encourage Mr Manville, who suffered from depression, to get in touch.

Posters have been put up around Worthing, where Mr Manville lived.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of George Manville is asked to call 0845 6070999.