A young woman found dead from a drug overdose was being groomed as a mule to smuggle cocaine to the UK, a senior Argentine politician has claimed.

Mystery still surrounds the death of Laura Hill, 25, whose body was found in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in October last year.

Parents Alison and Kevin Hill, of Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne, were originally told their daughter had died of natural causes on a park bench.

But an autopsy report in November revealed Laura had actually been discovered in the first floor hallway of an apartment building.

The pretty nurse had suffered bruising to her jaw and shoulder, leading to speculation she had been sexually assaulted.

A toxicology report indicated she had a lethal level of cocaine in her body.

Anibal Fernandez, Argentina's minister of justice, said he believed Laura was part of a drug-trafficking ring operating from Buenos Aires.

He said police had wire-tap evidence of her discussing a plan to carry drugs inside her body to Europe.

The claims stunned Laura's parents who said their daughter had no history of drug use.

The distraught couple have accused the Argentine authorities of trying to cover up her murder.

Mrs Hill said: "There was nothing in Laura's life to suggest she was involved with drugs. Why are the Argentine authorities making all these allegations about her now?

"We want to get to the truth but thereís been conflicting information from the outset."

Eastbourne MP Nigel Waterson has thrown his support behind the family and raised the matter in the House of Commons.

He said: "We want to get the case investigated fully. I would like the Argentinian police to invite Sussex Police to take part in the investigation."