Brit, 25, dies in China minutes after phone call telling mum he was coming home

A British family have been left in shock and searching for answers after their 25-year-old son suddenly died in China. Bradley Hall, 25, had been working as a teacher near Shanghai for two years when tragedy struck on May 10.

The young man had just spoken to his mother on the phone shortly before he died. "I was talking to my son an hour and a half beforehand, chit chatting away," Lindsey Hall told TeessideLive.

"Then he rang back. I said 'hiya son, alright?' but it was his friend to say he'd passed away."

The family are facing mounting bills, as they try to repatriate his body to the UK.

They have been quoted £3,000 for a Chinese autopsy and have been warned that a second one may need to be performed in the UK. The family are also being charged £6-a-day for his body to remain in a Chinese mortuary.

Bradley was described by his family as "fit as a fiddle", a gym-goer, non-smoker, and devoted Middlesbrough FC fan.

His step-father Marc Henderson-Thynne said: "He was fit, he trained, he didn't smoke, didn't drink. He was never in any trouble, he didn't like violence, he loved football and had a season ticket before."

A GoFundMe campaign has now been launched to help cover repatriation costs, which are estimated at around £18,000.

The fundraiser said: "Sadly, on May 10th, my 25-year-old nephew Bradley passed away suddenly while in China. I'm doing this just to make it a bit easier on his mam and dad.

"He was working out there as a teacher, as a family, we are absolutely devastated and heartbroken.

"We are working with the authorities here and in China to bring him home. As you will imagine this is not going to be cheap, and when he is home we need a funeral which a parent doesn't expect to have to do any donation will be amazing no matter how much any funds that are left after everything we will be donating to the Finley cooper foundation in Bradley's memory."

The campaign hopes to raise £6,000 and has so far accumalted around £5,300.

Bradley had studied law at Teesside University before switching to education. He was planning to make a visit home next month - the first one since last summer. He had built a new life abroad with his girlfriend Joanna and their dog.

His mum is still in a state of disbelief as she tries to copme to terms with the tragedy. She said: "It feels like because he's not at home, I'm in a bubble. I know he's gone, but I'm still in this bubble."

Bradley's aunt, Emma Henderson-Thynne, has been leading contact with the UK embassy and Chinese authorities on the family's behalf.

However, the they are still in the dark about when Bradley's body will be returned to the UK.