DIPLOMATIC pressure is mounting on the Greek government amid fears by a family that their son who died on holiday had one of his kidneys stolen for sale on the organ black market.

Parents of Chris Rochester, 24, who died after he fell from an apartment balcony in Rhodes, want the Greek authorities to explain why their son's left kidney was missing when his body was returned in June last year.

And when a kidney was returned DNA tests established it was not his.

Mr Rochester's mother, Pam Cummings and step-father George Cummings, of Chester-le-Street, spoke out after meeting with North Durham MP Kevan Jones and North-East MEP Stephen Hughes, who is now seeking an urgent meeting with Greek ministers of health and justice.

The latest move comes a month after North Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle ruled Mr Rochester had died an accidental death, contributed to by neglect.

Mr Tweddle raised his 'great concern about the standards of medical care' while he was in Rhodes.

Mr Cummings said: "Despite every effort we have made so far we have still had no answers. We want justice for Christopher and will not rest until we have his kidney and DNA tests prove it belongs to him."

Mr Cummings said there were a number of possible explanations for the loss of the kidney - it could have been genuinely mislaid or deliberately lost, because it could shed light on the death.

He added: "Thirdly, until we have Chris' kidney there is the possibility that it was taken illegally for transplantation.

Meanwhile, Mr Jones said he was going to try and get a Parliamentary debate on the case, as well as the wider issues about the standard of health care in Greece.