ORGANS were taken from the body of an engineer who died during a Mediterranean holiday.

The body of Keith Miller, 32, was returned to his family in Tunstall, Sunderland, after his death in Ibiza on June 6.

But his heart, lungs, kidneys and liver are still more than a thousand miles away on the Spanish holiday island.

Mr Miller collapsed in an airport at the end of the two-week break with his wife Karen and their four children.

The devoted family man was admitted to a Spanish hospital suffering from Weil's disease, and died shortly afterwards.

A post-mortem examination in Spain was inconclusive, revealing only that Mr Miller had died from blood poisoning, and his family hoped a second examination in the UK would confirm their fears.

However, they have discovered his organs were removed by Spanish medics for research purposes.

Mr Miller's father - also Keith - said: "A death in the family is hard to accept and this hasn't made things easier. I don't think we ever gave permission for the organs to be removed.

"The women in the family have been particularly hard hit. We are not angry about this - just shocked."

A funeral service, attended by Mr MIller's children Asgleigh, 12, Karleigh, eight, Kaitlyn, four, and Kennedy, three, was held at St John's Church, Sunderland.