THE family of the youngest person to die in youth custody have planned a march on what would have been his 18th birthday.

The announcement comes as the Lancashire Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) published a report criticising the justice system for treating 14-year-old Adam Rickwood like a "tearaway" rather than "a vulnerable child in need of care".

Adam, who was from Harold Street, Burnley, was found hanged in Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in August 2004 aged just 14.

Adam was facing a wounding charge which was about to be dropped when he killed himself at the secure unit 150 miles away from home.

His mother Carol Pounder is planning the march for November 14 from her home in Greenock Close to Burnley Magistrates' Court.

She has invited the family of Nadeem Khan, 28, from St. Aidan's Avenue, Mill Hill, Blackburn, who died after being taken into police custody in Burnley following what Lancashire Constabulary has described as a "violent struggle" with officers in Burnley Road, Brierfield, on June 30.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating Mr Khan's death.

Ms Pounder, who has a daughter, said: "We want to hold march so that what happened to him is not forgotten.

"We want as many people as possible to come and show their support for the walk."

The inquest into Adam's death earlier this year ruled that Adam had intended to commit suicide. Adam had written five letters home threatening to kill himself.

The LSCB compiled its report as it is obliged to investigate the death of any child in the care of the state.

It warned that the balance between custody and care was imbalanced and made a number of recommendations over the care of youngsters in custody.

Gill Rigg, chair of the LSCB and author of the report said yesterday: "The most important lesson to learn from the death is that there need to be some changes in the youth justice system to recognise the chlldren are vulnerable and they need safeguarding.

"We have asked to be included in the Government consultation and hopefully they will act on our recommendations."