A Harrow councillor is calling for less invasive post mortem procedures to be offered to people from some religions.

Cllr Husain Akhtar, the independent representative for Canons ward, wants mourning families to be offered MRI scans instead of post mortem examinations in the case of a coroners’ investigation into a death.

Currently in Harrow, families have no choice but to surrender the bodies of relatives for invasive post mortems if there is to be an inquest.

Some boroughs offer the less intrusive MRI scan as an alternative and Cllr Akhtar is calling on Harrow’s MPs to investigate whether this could be offered here.

Cost could be an issue – a head scan alone costs about £275, while a head, thorax and abdomen scan can cost up to £900, so Cllr Akhtar wants NHS subsidisation to be considered as well.

He said: “A lot of people have asked for this service to be offered in Harrow – it is a worthwhile cause and I want to help people.

“It is important because many people have strong beliefs that the body of a deceased person should not be disturbed.

“I think that people should have a right to ask for what is appropriate according to their customs and beliefs.”