Victim's body still abroad a year on

Danny Hastelow of Walsall Wood was killed the day after his 26th birthday in a hotel room in Magaluf on January 13 last year – but his family were told they would need to pay £10,000 to fly his body home.

Danny, formerly of Bridgewater Close, had been working as a barman for pubs and clubs.

To mark the anniversary of his death next week his family are planning to release 27 balloons in his memory. The release, on Monday, will fall on what would have been his 27th birthday.

His sister Claire Peters today said a campaign had raked in around £8,000 towards the cost of bringing the body home, but it was a wrangle with the Spanish authorities that was proving the stumbling block. She said: "It is very complicated and the Spanish authorities are notoriously difficult when there is a trial involved.

"We have spoken to one family in Liverpool having a similar problem who have been waiting for three years to get their son back.

"It is terrible because it is coming to the anniversary this week and we are still not able to put it behind us."

The family have also complained at a lack of information from the Foreign Office about what is happening with the trial over Danny's murder in Spain. Claire added: "In Spain they have two years from the date of the incident to begin the trial and we are at a year now. We don't know what is going on over there and if we want a solicitor to keep up to date for us it costs about £35,000."

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said they could not comment on individual cases but said each was different and that complications often arose if the person did not had have correct travel insurance.

Claire is encouraging anyone who can help or offer any advice to get in touch. To donate, visit www.justicefordanny.co. uk or send a cheque to Justice for Danny, c/o Brickmakers Arms, Salters Road, Walsall Wood, Walsall, West Midlands, WS9 9JB. Two men, from Liverpool, were arrested and now await trial.