A mum whose 21-year-old son died suddenly has joned a national charity in lobbying Government for reform of the 'antiquated' coroners' system. 

Sue Ainsworth found son Jonathan Morgan dead in his bed at their Stockton home on the morning of April 11 last year.

Medics told the 52-year-old the seemingly healthy university student died from sudden adult death and an inquest was held eight months later at Teesside Coroners' Court.  A post-mortem examination was conducted, but the cause of death was unascertained and a verdict of natural causes was recorded. 

After conducting her own internet research, Sue believes her son may have died from an undetected heart problem - which could mean daughter Rhiannon, 20, is also at risk through a hereditary link. 

And she wishes her son's heart had been sent to a specialist cardiac pathologist for further examination. 

National charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) runs the Centre for Cardiac Pathology at the Royal Brompton Hospital, in London. 

And it offers a two-week fast-track, service, free of charge, if the deceased is under the age of 35 and cause of death is unknown. 

Referrals are made at the discretion of the coroner.  In Jonathan's case there was no referral and the student's funeral went ahead. 

But Sue, of Hartburn, who works as a midwife at the University Hospital of North Tees, Stockton, feels she should have been consulted over it. 

And she has now said: "We will never know what killed him and we have fears for Rhiannon.  She is having yearly screenings and nothing has come up so far. 

"However problems can develop later on and, because DNA was not tested from Jonathan to look for a defective gene, and the heart was not sent off, they don't know what they are looking for in Rhiannon." 

The mum has joined CRY's Coroners Bill Campaign calling for the introduction of a chief coroner to oversee the system nationwide. 

She said: "Currently, the coroner is not answerable to anybody so if there's any delays, any inequalities in the system, you have not got any comeback at all." 

:Last summer, the coalition Government announced its decision to axe the proposed role of the chief coroner.  And on March 3, Sue will accompany CRY in delivering a petition to parliament. 

Alison Cox, CRY chief executive, said: ""Without anyone to oversee this ancient, judicial system, it will be impossible to enforce national standards." 

Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield was unable to comment on individual cases, but has been in correspondence with Sue and has offered a face-to-face meeting. 

He told the Gazette that, even if the heart is sent to the Royal Brompton Hospital for further examination, it still does not relieve the pathologist from doing a full examination of the heart at post-mortem stage. 

Mr Sheffield said removing the heart to be sent away had to be considered very carefully as it was "a very emotive matter." 

In three recent cases where the pathologist sent the heart to the hospital, the results differ from those of the pathologist in the case, he said. 

Sign CRY's petition at www.c-r-y.org.uk/coronersbillcampaign.htm