THE anguished family of a York man who died more than two years ago have told how their heartache continues - because they are still waiting for an inquest.

Craig Archer, of Lucas Avenue, Clifton, died aged 21 at York Hospital on May 13, 2001, after being admitted with colitis.

The inquest was due to be held last October, but was adjourned for tests to be carried out on a nutrition tube used to feed him.

Seven months later, the date for a hearing has still not been fixed because of delays in conducting the tests.

Craig's mother and father, Maureen and Keith, and sister Tracey Cormack, say they had psyched themselves up for the traumatic experience of attending his inquest last autumn and were very upset when it was postponed.

"We really thought it was going to be over," said Mrs Archer. "I just couldn't believe it. We still don't know how he died."

Tracey said: "I'm disgusted by the delays. It needs to be treated with greater urgency."

The family spoke out after the Evening Press reported how another family had been waiting more than three years for an inquest on a York woman.

In that case, York Coroner Donald Coverdale said the delays were caused because of the large number of witnesses to be called and difficulties in finding a suitable location for a hearing.

Mr Coverdale wrote to Mr Archer's family in February to explain the continuing delays in holding his inquest.

He said he was having difficulty progressing the matter because of a lack of response from the Medical Devices Agency, to where the equipment was sent.

He said the agency had apologised for the delay in identifying a suitable organisation which could carry out appropriate tests on its behalf, but said the equipment had finally gone to the British Standards Institute for testing.

Mr Coverdale anticipated receiving the results any day.

Updated: 12:12 Tuesday, May 27, 2003