At today's opening of the inquest into James Rae's death, a coroner heard how a pathologist had formed the preliminary conclusion Mr Rae had died from a suspected drugs overdose.

A funeral for the husband of Leeds singer Corinne Bailey Rae can now be held after permission was today granted for his body to be released for burial.

An inquest opened into the death of musician Jason Rae, 31, heard how the results of toxicology tests were still unknown after he was found dead on a settee at a house in Hyde Park, on Saturday.

Leeds Coroner's Court heard how Mr Rae, of Quarry Bank House, Leeds, was pronounced dead at the house on Midland Road shortly after 3pm when paramedics were unable to revive him.

Detective Superintendent Steve Payne, told the hearing that he had taken the decision to arrest a 32-year-old man at the scene in connection with the possession and supply of controlled drugs as a result of "certain items" found in the room.

A post mortem carried out later that evening at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield by pathologist Peter Venessis found no signs of violence or injury to Mr Rae's body or any significant find of natural disease.

The body was identified by Mr Rae's sister-in-law Candice Amelia Atterton. Det Supt Payne said there was no further need for the body to be held for police investigation.

Deputy Coroner Robert Chapman issued an interim burial order and adjourned the inquest pending the outcome of the toxicology report. No members of Mr Rae's family were present at the five-minute hearing.

The YEP reported on Monday how Scots born Mr Rae died after a suspected drink and drugs overdose. Mr Rae, a saxophonist with funk band The Haggis Horns, had been on tour for three months and is understood to have met up with a friend when he arrived in Leeds on Friday afternoon.

The two were thought to have spent several hours drinking in the Hyde Park pub before going back to the flat on Midland Road. After the discovery of his body police are believed to have removed items of drug paraphernalia from the flat, along with several methadone - a heroin substitute - bottles.

Corinne, who married her husband at Leeds Register Office in 2001 after meeting him while working at a Leeds jazz club, was spotted shopping in Morrisons in Kirkstall at the time her husband's death was reported, unaware of what had happened.