George Michael’s funeral delayed as coroner has yet to release his body a month after his death
Careless Whisper singer died on Christmas Day
GEORGE Michael's funeral has been delayed at head coroner Darren Salter is still awaiting the results of toxicology tests.
The Carelesss Whisper singer died aged 53 at his Oxfordshire home on Christmas Day of suspected heart failure and his family are still waiting to hold his funeral.
According to the , important tests are still being carried out to determine the singer's cause of death and and he cannot be laid to rest until an inquest is opened.
On December 30, a post-mortem came back as "inconclusive" and Thames Valley Police revealed further examinations would be carried out on the late star but insisted his death was still being treated as "unexplained but not suspicious".
In a statement, they said of the post-mortem, which was carried out on December 29: "The cause of death is inconclusive and further tests will now be carried out.
"The results of these tests are unlikely to be known for several weeks. Thames Valley police will prepare a file for the Oxfordshire coroner.
"Mr Michael's death is still being treated as unexplained but not suspicious."
George's cousin recently admitted he suspects the singer died of an accidental drugs overdose.
Andros Georgiou claimed the iconic musician returned to taking "hard drugs" towards the end of his life, but is adamant that George did not commit suicide.
He said: "Hard drugs had been back in his life.
"I just think he took too much of something, mixed with antidepressants and other drugs he was on - with alcohol. I think his heart just stopped beating."
Andros said George had been addicted to crack cocaine in the past, claiming it was one of his "favourite drugs".
He said: "I believe he had suicidal thoughts, because his mental health was all over the place. But I don't believe this was suicide."
It was claimed that George's boyfriend Fadi Fawaz - who dated the singer from 2012 until his death - had been interviewed by police on two occasions since his passing.
Previous reports stated that a major crime unit from Thames Valley, who specialise in murders and rapes, had been brought in to rifle through the file as they attempt to piece together the days leading up to the point George was found dead by his partner at his home.
A source told The Sun: "The investigation is now picking up a bit of speed.
"Officers from the Major Crime Unit have begun asking questions of those who were in the area at the time George died and the day before.
"They want to build up an idea of what George's last seven days were like and who came and went."
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Meanwhile, fans of George have started a petition to get the City of London to create a memorial bench in his honour - in the park where he admitted picking up strangers for sex.
Some diehard fans of the Wham! singer want to establish the seat in Hampstead Heath because they believe it would be a positive way of remembering his life.
George famously took the mickey out of his own sex life when he appeared on Ricky Gervais' comedy sketch show, Extras, in 2007.
In the episode, the performer pretended to nip off for sex in some nearby bushes.
It's in this exact same spot that some of his fans want to see the memorial put.
The park is a well-known meeting point among north-west London's gay community.
In a previous interview the star once admitted he liked going to the park to meet up with men.
He said: “I’ll do it on a nice summer evening. It’s a much nicer place to get some quick and honest sex than standing in a bar.”
The bench proposal comes ahead of the singer's upcoming funeral, which has been delayed as medical examiners try to find out how exactly how he died.
But, not wanting to wait, some fans have come up with the bench tribute idea so they have a place to mourn their hero publicly.
Around 700 people have so far signed the petition, set up by Tony Antoniou.
Writing on the petition's website, Tony said: "George Michael loved Hampstead Heath park so much. It was his favourite park and he would often go there for some time to himself.
"I now want to pay further tribute to George Michael with your kind support. His fans will love this and will agree to it.
"It’s the least they can do as this was his favourite and local park."
Tony thought of the seat tribute after recalling how George poked fun at himself in a sketch for Extras.
The scene begins with Gervais – as Andy Millman – strolling through Hampstead Heath after an audition. He comes across "the waiting bench" and soon finds out it’s a spot for gay men to find sexual partners.
George Michael appears as himself, asking if there’s “any action” at the bench, before revealing he’s on his lunch break from community service. When Gervais asks him what he did, Michael reveals it was for fly-tipping Annie Lennox’s fridge-freezer.
When asked how he got caught by the police, Michael says "Sting called the f***ing council because he’s a f***ing do-gooder." As he leaves the bench to check out another area of the park, he asks Gervais to "keep an eye out for paparazzi".
The memorial proposal comes just days after bosses at the Snappy Snaps store which George Michael infamously crashed his car into asked fans to stop bombarding the shop with tributes to the singer.
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