Family fighting to bring son's body home from Vietnam after coroner 'demands' payment of £10,000

A Leicester family is fighting to bring their son’s body back to the UK after he died in a motorbike crash while on holiday in Vietnam.

Denver Barfield died alongside a fellow British female passenger in the city of Hoi An, local police said, after their bike crashed into a power pole on the side of the road in the early hours of Monday morning.

His close friend Harri Stavrou set up a JustGiving page in Mr Barfield’s memory after a Vietnamese coroner began “pestering” Denver’s mother for payment to get his body back home – with an initial bill of $12,500 (£10,000).

He described the Aston University graduate as “full of life”: “Anyone who met him just loved him instantly.”

The site, which was set up less than 24 hours ago, has already raised more than £20,000.

Mr Stavrou, who has known Mr Barfield since he was 14 years old, told Sky News: “No mother should have to bury their son.

“And immediately she began getting messages from a coroner demanding money.”

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Mr Stavrou said the family has been told the longer they wait, the more expensive it will be.

“Denver was ill with COVID about a year and a half ago, and during that time I had to go pick up his prescription and do the shopping for his mum,” he said.

“I promised him then I would look after his mother for him – and I hope I have done him proud.

“It’s all for you, brother.”

‘My legs turned to jelly’

Mr Stavrou said he first heard about his friend’s death through a text from another friend.

“I immediately texted Denver because I just could not believe it was true,” he said.

“Then my phone started ringing with a call from his mother. My legs turned to jelly because I knew what she was going to tell me.”

The 24-year-old had planned to spend three months travelling Asia before starting a new job, and had just visited Thailand before going to Vietnam.

“He had such a bright future ahead of him, I know he would have smashed that job in London,” he said.

Mr Stavrou said the details of Denver’s accident are still unclear: “We don’t know who was driving the bike, or what happened.

“Regardless of whether we know or not, it does not take away the tragedy from what happened. But for his mum and sister, I think it will give them some peace to know exactly what happened.”

The thousands raised to help bring Mr Barfield home were a testament to “how much people loved him,” he continued.

“I don’t think his mum expected we would smash the target so quickly, but it just shows how much Denver was held in high regard by everyone.”

He added: “Denver had a heart full of gold, he was always joking around, telling jokes and he was hands down the best storyteller on the planet – and when he concentrated for some reason he would stick his tongue out, I’m not sure why he did it but it made us laugh.

“Every time you saw Denver you knew you would be in hysterics listening to him all night.”

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