The family of a man who died of a suspected heroin overdose will be able to say a final goodbye today after red-tape halted his funeral.

Scott Cosgrove had to be moved from a hospital in Kent because of a bed shortage in Brighton and died on June 16.

But his family have not been able to hold a funeral because they were waiting for the results of an autopsy to be received before the service could go ahead.

It has now been revealed that these were sent to the wrong hospital, adding to the delay.

That meant that a funeral planned for last Friday had to be cancelled and it was feared that today's service would also have to be postponed.

But the paperwork has now arrived and the service will take place.

Mr Cosgrove's mum Josephine, who lives in Brighton, has wept tears of relief that she can finally lay her son to rest.

She said: "When I got the call to say the autopsy results were back and his body would be released, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

"The wait for the results was awful. All we wanted to do was say goodbye.

"The coroners couldn't apologise enough for the delay. They said the results had been sent to Guy's Hospital "I don't mind about him being sent to the hospital in Kent.

"I am just grateful for the fact we were able to spend four hours with him before he died.

"Now I can bury my son and he can be at peace."

Mr Cosgrove, 27, was found unconscious by his girlfriend at his flat in Goldstone Villas, Brighton, on June 15.

He was transferred from the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, to Medway Maritime Hospital, Kent, because of a shortage of intensive care beds and died the next day.

Mr Cosgrove's sister Claire, 26, who lives in Southwick, said they were told autopsy results were usually back within ten days.

She said a wait of more than three weeks was prolonging the family's pain.

More than 100 people are expected at Mr Cosgrove's funeral at St Joseph's Church, Elm Grove, Brighton, at 12.15pm.