Family charged for dead student's rent

The letting agent, Brownlow Property Management, has said it is prepared to take the McCann family to court to secure the outstanding rent of £866 for the period March to June.

"We do not feel we are being callous or unsympathetic towards Mr McCann,'' a company spokesman said.

"We have extended our commiserations to Mr McCann both verbally and in writing.

"We have also from the outset, verbally and in writing, offered Mr McCann the opportunity to spread the burden of the payments over as many months as his family budget permits.''