AGENCIES: The 39 Vietnamese people found dead in a refrigerated lorry have all been formally identified, police said.

Essex Police had been working with Vietnamese officials to identify the 31 men and eight women found dead in Grays, Essex, on 23 October.

A series of files have been handed to Essex senior coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray.

The force said it wanted to give families time to take in the news before making the names public.

The victims came from Vietnamese provinces Haiphong, Hai Duong, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Hue, according to police in the country.