A BRITISH gap-year traveller died in northwest Victoria after collapsing between two sofas at a popular hostel after a drinking session, an inquest has heard.

Backpacker Kristina Rennell, 21, was discovered slumped unconscious in Mildura less than two weeks after arriving Down Under.

Paramedics raced to the Sunset Backpackers hostel but were unable to save Kristina, of Penn, Bucks, who later died in hospital.

Her fellow backpacker Melissa Newby told the inquest: “Her head was kind of stuck between the two sofas.

“Her body was folded up with her legs up against the wall. Her head looked like it was stuck.

“It looked like she was jumping around and got stuck.”

The youngster had travelled through southeast Asia for six months before arriving in Australia, where she was set to start work on a farm picking fruit last June.

She was seen on CCTV walking around and leaping up some stairs shortly before her death and had been drinking, the inquest heard.

In the final tweet before her death, she had said: “First time I’ve had a room to myself since I left, just cleaned it top to bottom and it is delightful — so nice to have my own space.”

Peter Bedford, senior coroner for Berkshire, was unable to say what caused Kristina’s “sad” and mysterious death and gave an open conclusion.

Friends paid tribute to a “shining star” after the tragic news, with many donating to the National Tremor Association and raising £1000 ($A2046) in her name.

Delia Halsey wrote: “I can’t find the words. So lovely and so young — a joy to all the family and living on in the minds and hearts.”

Mike and Pam Mellor said Miss Rennell was a “shining star who will burn bright forever”.

Miss Rennell’s family declined to speak after the inquest.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and is republished with permission.