A Bradford father has spoken of his anguish at not being able to lay his daughter to rest - three months after her body was exhumed.

Mohammed Farooq Khan is still waiting to hear when the body of his three-year-old daughter Naazish will be released by police for burial.

She died as an in-patient at St James's Hospital, Leeds, last October after being treated for cancer.

A month later her body was exhumed from Scholemoor Cemetery after tests showed unexpected chemical levels in her blood. Detectives said today the investigation into her death was still on-going.

And they admitted it will be at least another four weeks before her body is released for burial.

Mr Farooq said: "If we had known it was going to take a few months we could have mentally prepared ourselves."

The father-of-six, of St Margaret's Place, Great Horton, Bradford, said the family had wanted to bury Naazish during the holy month of Ramadan.

He said: "Now we are resigned to the fact it will be another few weeks. We just want Naazish's body back so we can let her rest in peace and get on with our lives.

"I can appreciate the police wanting to get things right - the last thing we want is Naazish's body to be released only for more tests to be carried out at a later date - but it is a difficult time for us."

Naazish was admitted to St Luke's Hospital, Bradford, on September 20 last year after she had been sleeping badly and feeling ill.

She was transferred to St James's Hospital on September 25 where she later died.

Routine tests on a sample of her blood revealed the "unanticipated chemical levels" and police said they were unable to explain how she died.

Leeds-based Detective Chief Superintendent Brian Steele, who is heading the inquiry, said the situation had not changed.

"Our inquiries into the circumstances surrounding Naazish's death are continuing.

"It will be at least another four weeks before a decision is made as to whether we can release her body.

"It is a complicated inquiry and I do sympathise with Naazish's family, but we want to make sure we get it right."

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