THE distraught family of a woman who died of stab wounds on New Year's Day have delayed plans for her funeral after a thief stole vital information about the death.

Charlotte Flanagan, 22, a former pupil at St Wilfrid's High School, Blackburn, was found in her flat -- on the fourth floor of the Barley Mow pub in London's West End where she had worked for three months.

But details of a post mortem examination have been stolen from a pathologist's car while it was parked near a pub in Middlesex -- meaning the family may have to wait for a second set of tests to be carried out. Charlotte's mother Dorothy said the theft was the final insult to the family as they tried to come to terms with the death.

Gareth Richard Horton, 29, who had rented Charlotte's house in Walmsley Street, Darwen, while she was in London, was arrested hours after the alarm was raised on New Year's Day and is due to reappear at the Old Bailey on February 21, charged with murder.

An inquest opened on January 3 revealed she had died from a stab wound to the neck. Today, Dorothy, of Melville Gardens, Darwen, said the original seven weeks they had been told it could take to have Charlotte's body released by the coroner could take even longer.

Dorothy said: "I feel very angry about what has happened, especially with the pathologist, who should have known better than to leave important documents and photos in his car.

"But I am also angry with the thieves. They must have seen what was inside the briefcase and realised they should have handed it in.

"The police have said they hope to find the negatives of the pictures they took of Charlotte and hopefully the pathologist had some other notes. They may be able to avoid a second post mortem, but they aren't sure yet.

"It will slow down the release of her body. Even after the second post mortem, the defence could request their own to be carried out. We only hope they won't."

Police in London said a briefcase was stolen from a car parked near to the Golden Cross pub, Printing House Lane, Hayes, Middlesex, on January 15.

They have not said who the briefcase belonged to.

Mrs Flanagan said: "I have heard people stole documents relating to Sarah Payne's death and tried to sell them or put them on the internet.

"The police have said in some cases things are anonymously returned. I hope they aren't sent direct to us.

"We want to get on with arranging the funeral so we can celebrate our daughter's life.

"This is an insult to us all."

A spokesman for the Metropolitan police said: "We are not saying who the briefcase belonged to.

"We would like anyone with any information to ring Hayes police station."

After leaving St Wilfrid's, Charlotte studied at Blackburn College.

She became a peer educator, working with vulnerable children in the Ribble Valley before moving to social services in Blackburn with Darwen, where she helped adults with learning difficulties.

She had planned to become a nurse.