Only around 500 copies were printed

A student who auctioned off his rare first edition of a Harry Potter book for £7,200 to fund his university degree has been found dead in his room.

Toby Rundle, 21, from Somerset, sold his hardback copy of JK Rowling's Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone.

He was studying Classics and English at Oxford University's Lady Margaret Hall and was discovered by a fellow student on Thursday.

The university said it was "deeply saddened" by his death.

Dr Frances Lannon, principal of Lady Margaret Hall, said: 'We were deeply saddened by the death of Toby Rundle, a third-year undergraduate at Lady Margaret Hall.

"Toby was a student of Classics and English and was well liked by everyone in college.

"Our condolences and thoughts are with his family and friends at this very difficult time."

A spokeswoman said the university's counselling service is offering additional support to students at Lady Margaret Hall.

The book Mr Rundle, of Wilton, sold was given to him by his mother while he was at boarding school.

It was one of only 500 published by Bloomsbury in 1997, which was auctioned at Bonhams' Books, Maps, Manuscripts and Photographs Sale in London in June 2007.