INDIAN police investigating the murder of Burnley charity worker Michael Blakey have questioned a number of people about his death.

Officers probing the 23-year-old's killing have confirmed they were looking into several leads of how Michael died.

As exclusively revealed in the Lancashire Telegraph, Michael was killed while carrying out aid work in the Dharamsala province for the Tong-Len Charitable Trust, which works with refugee families and which he helped found.

He had been in India since June but was due to return home for Christmas.

His body was found partially buried under stones in a gully next to the St John of the Wilderness Church where the former St Theodore's pupil worshipped. Michael had been missing from a monastery for five days when his body was discovered. It is believed his injuries were caused by stones.

Superintendent Ajay Yadav, who is leading the investigation, said officers had three of four theories about Michael's death and hoped to have conclusive' evidence soon.

He said: "We are questioning several people in connection with this case."

Yesterday Michael's body was being flown home to Britain. It is expected his funeral will be held in Burnley next week.

The murdered student's father Paul, of Pike Hill, said that after the funeral the family were hoping to fly back some of his ashes to be scattered at a memorial being built in his honour.

Tributes have poured in for Michael on internet blog sites from colleagues at the charity, friends from university and the head of the Tong-Len charity, Anna Owen.

More than 700 people gathered in Dharamsala at the weekend to hold a celebration of Michael's life.