A GRIEVING mother has told how she will keep her son's ashes with her until she dies - then they will be scattered together with her's in the mountains.

Rosemary Bradley's son Ethan died suddenly at home in York aged just 28.

His funeral will take place tomorrow - Tuesday, December, 14 -at York Crematorium.

Ethan, who worked as a cycle courier and was a passionate campaigner for workers' rights, died on November 24 - two weeks after coming off his bike and hurting his head. No other vehicle was involved.

Rosemary said she was awaiting test results but accepted she may never know the exact cause of death.

She told The Press: "He hit his head but everything repaired OK. He had a sore shoulder for a while and then his flatmate came home and found him dead on the bedroom floor.

"That is all we know. We now have to have different tests. It is hard to believe that there can be no cause, but sometimes that is the case.

"No one is to blame. No other vehicle was involved. We just don't know."

Rosemary said Ethan was her fourth child, born when she was aged 44, and a source of pleasure and pride.

She said: "He was very precious. I was a single mum and it was a real privilege to have a child at 44 and a pleasure to raise him.

"He loved family life and never put the phone down without saying: 'I love you Mum'.

"He was a very strong character - a champion of the underdog who never gave up."

Ethan was chair of the couriers section of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) and led campaigns for his fellow workers’ pay, rights and conditions.

His mum said: "I brought him up to fight. He always stood up against bullying."

Rosemary, who now lives in Scotland, said she would take Ethan's ashes back home with her.

"They will stay with me until I die then they will be mixed with mine and scattered on the side of a Scottish mountain among the wild flowers. Ethan loved being here - he loved hiking and climbing. It was hard to keep him still, he ran like the wind and had run marathons and the Great North Run."

Following his death, Ethan's friends have been fundraising for his funeral, raising close to £4,000 via GoFundMe.

Organiser and close friend Holly Parker said: "He was a really lovely guy and very caring. He was passionate about his union work and helping people.

"He didn't have life insurance so the money raised will cover funeral costs.

"The fact the fundraising has gone so well shows how well he was loved."

She added that the funeral would be webcast - for more details and to donate, click here or visit: www.gofundme.com/f/k4969-ethans-funeral-fund

If you would like to leave a tribute to Ethan you can do so in the online Book of Condolence below...