Image copyright Humphries family Image caption David Humphries died in Egypt on 18 September

The organs of a father of four who died on a family holiday were lawfully removed to find the cause of his death, an authority in Egypt has said.

David Humphries, 62, died on holiday in Makadi, near Hurghada, on 18 September.

Lawyers Irwin Mitchell said his body was repatriated without his heart and kidneys , adding full removal of organs was illegal under Egyptian law.

The Egyptian State Information Service (SIS) said they were taken for analysis in a "procedurally sound matter".

It said the kidneys were removed in a "medical manner" for toxicology tests as was the heart to test to see whether or not he had suffered a cardiac arrest.

Image copyright Humphries family Image caption Lynda and David Humphries had celebrated their wedding anniversary the day before his death

Mr Humphries, who was a mechanic from Milton Keynes, had been on holiday at a beachside resort with his wife Lynda, 59, their daughter Anita Goodall and her family since 7 September.

He saw a doctor about chest pains on 13 September and the next day went to hospital and was admitted overnight.

On 18 September he had been playing with his grandchildren in a swimming pool when he collapsed. He was taken to hospital and died.

Image copyright Humphries family Image caption David Humphries (right) and his wife Lynda (second left) had four children and daughter Anita was on holiday with them when he died

Irwin Mitchell said a post-mortem examination was carried out in Egypt and again in the UK, when it was discovered his organs were missing.

The full removal of internal organs was illegal under Egyptian law in a bid to reduce organ trafficking, it said.

SIS said all formalities were conducted in "a procedurally sound matter, geared towards the use of familiar scientific methods to ascertain the cause of death with complete certainty".

It said the Public Prosecutor's Office was entitled by law to issue an autopsy order should it wish to determine the cause of death.

SIS said "all the requisite sampling and necessary medical procedures" could be carried out "without consulting with or seeking the consent of the family of the deceased".

"It is an established and customary procedure in scientific references and different schools of forensic science around the globe," it said.

It said there were no accusations from the family for anyone causing Mr Humphries' death.