A sports-mad 21-year-old was found dead in bed just a day after watching a Cardiff City match at a pub, an inquest has heard.

Now the shocked family of Gareth Thomas, 21, are awaiting test results to see if they are at risk from the mystery condition that struck him down in his sleep. 

Speaking after his inquest, Gareth's mother, Anne Thomas, a former cardiologist, said the family had been told by doctors it was unlikely they would ever know what killed their football-mad son. 

"We are waiting for the results of genetic tests (on the family) but we want to find out what causes this because so many young people are dying without warning," she added. 

"In most cases these defects could be spotted with an ECG scan."

The Cardiff inquest heard how the international politics graduate was found dead at the home he shared with friends in Alfred Street, Roath, Cardiff, on Sunday, February 25, of this year. 

Statements in the inquest from Gareth's friends Rhys Griffiths, Anthony Jones and Aled Hopkin told how they all went to watch Cardiff City against Preston in the pub on Friday, February 23, before going on to Bar 33, The Lion Bar and The Philharmonic in the city centre. 

Rhys said that the following they were all suffering with hangovers, but they perked up before going to bed.  Gareth died sometime during the night. 

Rhys, who found Gareth dead in bed the next day, said: "That was the last time I saw Gareth alive." 

Pathologist Richard Jones said he thought Gareth had died of heart failure, but said he could only speculate on what caused his death. 

He said: "There was no evidence of alcohol or drugs in Gareth's system and there is no other anatomic reason why he died. 

"It seems like an electrical phenomenon." 

Cardiff and Vale coroner Mary Hassell recorded a verdict of death by natural causes. 

Since his death, the gap-year student's devastated family have been raising awareness of his death by doing work with charity Cry (Cardiac Risk in the Young). 

After completing a sponsored walk and organising a music festival with Gareth's older sister Sian, 24, Mrs Thomas, of Llantrisant, who is married to Trefor, said: "He was a son to be proud of. 

"We want to make sure the risk of this happening again is reduced as much as possible."