AN MP has criticised the inquest service on Teesside, claiming families have suffered "appalling delays".

Vera Baird, MP for Redcar, has called on her constituents to respond to a Government consultation paper on the future of the coroner service.

The MP said she has been in consultations with Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield since the problem arose earlier this year.

But, with 290 cases still not dealt with, she argues that radical solutions, including abolishing the post of coroner and establishing another system, need to be looked at.

She said: "I have a large number of constituents who have suffered appalling delays in inquests and many who have had inquests into the deaths of their loved ones carried out many months, even years, after their sad deaths.

"I am told that there is a backlog of more than 290 cases and I know the local coroner has also expressed his concerns.

"At present, Her Majesty's Coroner is answerable to no-one at all. He is appointed by the Lord Chancellor, financed by the local authority and supported by staff from the police service. No wonder problems occur."

She said that one family waited 19 months for a full inquest into the death of their 13-year-old daughter to be dealt with.

The Mann family, of South Bank, waited almost two-and-a-half years for the inquest of their son Paul, who died from a heroin overdose.

Teesside Coroner's office could not be contacted for comment over the weekend.