The funeral of the tragic four-year-old boy who lay dead in his cot for 21 months after being starved to death by his mother can now go ahead.

Today, Bradford’s Acting Coroner, Professor Paul Marks, opened and closed the inquest into the little boy, whose mother Amanda Hutton was jailed for 15 years this month after she was found guilty by a jury at Bradford Crown Court of the manslaughter of Hamzah Khan and of the neglect of five more of her children.

Hamzah’s mummified body was discovered in a travel cot in his mother’s bedroom by police in September 2011 – almost two years after he died.

Today's inquest in Bradford meant that Hamzah’s body could be released for burial to his father Aftab Khan, who was at the inquest along with officers who carried out the investigation.