THE family of body in the lake' victim Evelyn Lund will decline the opportunity for a full inquest into her death.

Last week Evelyn's second husband, Robert Lund, was found guilty of involuntary homicide' by a French jury.

The couple left their home at Winter Hill, Darwen, in 1997 and moved to a converted farmhouse in the small hamlet of La Veaute in the south of France.

Evelyn, 52, disappeared on December 29, 1999. The body of the mother-of-three, who grew up in Rossendale and lived in Cumbrian Way, Burnley, with first husband Arthur Taylor, was found two years later.

It was lying on the back seat of her Toyota Landcruiser which had sunk to the bottom of a lake five kilometres from her home.

The Cour d'Assises in Albi heard that the couple's relationship had disintegrated after they emigrated.

An expert witness said that Evelyn's car had been pushed into the lake backwards with its engine still running and the gear stick in neutral, while another said that the large amount of blood on the car's back seat showed she had suffered a violent death.

East Lancashire's coroner, Michael Singleton, is now required to hold an inquest into Evelyn's death because her body was returned to his jurisdiction.

If Lund's trial had been held in this country an inquest would not have been required.

Mr Singleton instructed his officer to contact the family of Mrs Lund and ask if they would be content if he simply concluded matters on the basis of a brief summary of the evidence.

He confirmed that he would have no power to compel attendance of witnesses from France.

The family have not formally responded to Mr Singleton but intend to ask for only a short hearing.

Alan Kay, Evelyn's son-in-law, said: "We have been told that we can request all the files that the coroner holds, but my wife Patricia doesn't see there is much point as we will never find out what actually happened or how her mum died."

The hearing was adjourned until November 21.

Lund, who was originally charged with murder, was given 12 years for involuntary homicide after the jury decided he killed his wife by accident during a row. The 55-year-old has always denied any involvement in his wife's death.