FURTHER tests are being carried out to piece together how a young musician drowned in the River Orwell.

Peter Ralph, 26, was discovered in the water close to Stoke Bridge last Monday.

A post mortem was carried out in London earlier this week and found that the cause of Mr Ralph’s death was drowning.

The former Dale Hall Primary and Northgate High School student had been living in Cavendish Lodge and was seeking help and support for a drug addiction.

A spokeswoman for the Coroner’s Office said further tests were now being carried out to help officers get a clearer idea of what happened to Mr Ralph.

“We are doing further tests – toxicology tests – which will take about six to eight weeks to come back with results,” she said.

“An inquest into Mr Ralph’s death has been opened and adjourned and his body has been released to his family so that they can organise a funeral.”

Speaking previously to The Ipswich Star, Mr Ralph’s mum, Rona, paid tribute to her “musical and creative boy”.

She said: “He was great at everything. He was a very musical and creative boy and he could turn his hand to anything that was given to him.

“He was very musical and drums were really his thing, he loved the drums.”

Prior to his death, Mr Ralph was seeking help for his addiction and was set to go into rehabilitation.

A friend of Mr Ralph said the musician had “never been the same” following the death of his close friend Tania Nicol, who was murdered by Steve Wright in late 2006.

Details of Mr Ralph’s funeral will be printed in The Ipswich Star when they are finalised.