An Australian expatriate faces a race against time to ensure the ashes of the woman he cared for can be taken to her final resting place.

Rosanne Ibbetson died at Mayday Hospital on April 3 after a string of illnesses including chronic arthritis, atrial fibrillation and lymphe- dema.

But five weeks after her death her body remains at the hospital's mortuary because of complications over the cremation arrangements.

Mrs Ibbetson whose family live in Australia had not named a next of kin before her death. The UK's death registry laws state when someone dies without naming a next of kin or legally appointed representative the hospital must trace the nearest relatives to establish their wishes and ask if they can pay for the arrangements.

If they cannot pay the hospital has to ask social services to carry out checks to ensure the costs cannot be met out of the deceased's estate before it pays for the cremation.

Mrs Ibbetson's long-term carer Alan Berris, of Drummond Road, Croydon, is determined to ensure the 66-year-old's ashes can be flown to Australia when he returns to his home country in three weeks.

But he is worried the formal process may not be completed before he leaves.

He said: "I know for sure Rose doesn't have any money and I'm leaving for Australia in three weeks but I can't just leave her body here. I don't have the funds to pay for the funeral and because she has no next of kin in England I said I would be for the purposes of the paperwork.

"I'm the closest she has got to family over here and I'm just wary that if this is not dealt with soon then she will be cremated but have no one here to take the ashes."

He added: "The daughter is in Australia and the family are having a very difficult time because they can't get any closure. The important thing for me is to get the body cremated and bring the ashes to Australia when I go there.

"I'm rather disappointed in Mayday all I want is for someone there to have a heart, it's not going to break the bank for them to cremate her now. The bottom line is that I need to return the ashes to Australia so she can be with her family."

A spokesman for Mayday Hospital said: "We are sorry to hear Mr Berris is unhappy with the responses he has received from the trust so far in this matter. He has had several phone calls and meetings with our staff who have been working hard to help this complex case.

"The next stage of the procedure is to contact social services and ask for a funding check to make sure that the costs cannot be met out of the person's estate. This process should take only a few days and we have told Mr Berris that we expect a reply this week.

"If that confirms that there is no money in the estate the trust will pay for the cremation and it will be carried out as soon as possible."