THE body of a Scots soldier is to remain in a London morgue - after his mother challenged a court ruling over where he should be buried three years on from his death.

Private Mark Connolly, 24, died after fellow squaddie Paul McKay, 27, killed him with a single punch at a pub in Germany where they were stationed.

Private McKay was later cleared of manslaughter after a court martial heard he acted in self-defence. But three years on Mark's body remains in a morgue in London after a rift between his wife Stacy Connolly and his mother Linda McComiskie erupted with both sides determined to bury him in different places.

Last month Mrs Connolly won the right to lay him to rest in Forfar after a bitterly fought civil case at the Angus town's sheriff court.

Sheriff Valerie Johnston criticised the deceased's mother in a 23 page judgment - for having "little regard for the body of her son languishing in storage in London for over three years".

She said Private ­Connolly's mother had shown a "distinct lack of compassion" towards his wife - and that she was "incapable of adopting an unbiased approach".

Sheriff Johnston wrote: "She has been blinded by her own desire to win the argument."