An investigation has been launched after a hospital delay almost made a woman miss her own funeral.

The situation came to light when Vivienne Thompson, 38, of Lanchester, County Durham, arrived at the chapel of rest the day before her mother's funeral to discover the body was missing.

When she contacted the University Hospital of North Durham, where Maureen Thompson had died on August 2, she was told that staff had failed to find a doctor to sign the release form despite more than 48 hours of trying.

In the end, the body of the 68-year-old, who died after suffering a massive stroke at home, arrived in the nick of time - at 4pm on August 6, the day before the cremation service was due to take place.

Following complaints from the family, the hospital has launched an investigation into how the delay occurred.

Vivienne Thompson, of Valley Grove, said she was appalled by what had happened. "I know my mother was dead but we still have a right to our dignity," she said.

"When I went to see her at the chapel of rest, I was robbed of my last bit of privacy with my mother because the hospital was incompetent."

Mrs Thompson said that to add further insult, the hospital - which also got her mother's age wrong on the death certificate - was quick to send a £91 bill for doctors' services.

She said: "They caused us a great deal of trauma, then the next week we had a bill. "If the undertaker hadn't paid it, I wouldn't have on principal."

Mrs Thompson has contacted local MP Hilary Armstrong's office after she claims the hospital was unsympathetic to her complaints.

"I've had enough of being fobbed off with, 'I'm sorry, someone's on holiday," she said.

"I think people have a right to know that this multi-million pound hospital can't find a doctor." A hospital spokeswoman said: "The trust would like to apologise for any distress this may have caused.

"We take all formal complaints very seriously and we are looking into this matter."