GRIEVING parents of Kevin Sudall, who died after a nightclub incident, will have to wait until almost three weeks after his death before his body can be released for burial.

Kevin, 22, of View Road, Darwen, died after an incident outside the Club Euro nightspot in Blackburn in the early hours of July 6.

Three men from Blackburn, including two brothers, have since been charged with his murder. But Kevin's parents Bill and Sheila and the rest of his family have been unable to finalise funeral arrangements because of the need to carry out a post mortem examination on behalf of defence solicitors.

Police arranged for an examination by a Home Office pathologist shortly after Kevin died.

But a further examination has still to be carried out on behalf of solicitors Forbes and Partners and Farleys, who are representing the three men accused of murder, before Kevin's body can be released by Preston coroner Howard McCann. The examination, with a prosecution pathologist in attendance, was due to take place on Tuesday but had to be postponed because one of the medical experts could not attend.

The post mortem examination is not now expected to take place until next week.

Andrew Church-Taylor, of Farleys solicitors, who represent two of the accused, said: "I understand a post mortem examination was cancelled yesterday because of the unavailability of a pathologist representing Forbes."

Peter Turner, of Forbes and Partners said: "Unfortunately, there have to be three pathologists in attendance during this post-mortem examination and there is a difficulty in finding a convenient date for them all to be there.

"We are extremely sorry that it is taking as long as it is but we are in the hands of the professionals whose job it is to conduct these examinations."

Kevin, a former pupil at St Bede's High School, Blackburn, was taken to Blackburn Infirmary with head injuries.

He was later transferred to the neurological unit at Royal Preston Hospital where he died.

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