A mother who is preparing to bury her beloved son faces an agonising three-month wait to find out what killed him unexpectedly.

Phillip Collings, 20, of Wenham Drive, Westcliff, died outside Talk Nightclub, in Lucy Road on December 4.

His funeral takes place on December 21 at St Mary's Church, in Victoria Avenue, Southend, and family members are appealing for as many of his friends as possible to attend.

But mother Karen Doherty is still baffled about what could have caused her son, with no previous health problems, to die so suddenly.

Ms Doherty said: "It's just been a shock to everybody. People can't understand what happened.

"His twin brother Matt was with him on the night it happened. As soon as Phillip's heart stopped, he tried to resuscitate him together with a police officer.

"He didn't have a heart attack. He was as fit as a fiddle."