THE tragic death of a brilliant 17-year-old student has led his MP to call for regular heart tests for all young people.

Anthony Lancaster was discovered dead in his bed -- just three days before his family discovered he had won a place at Cambridge University to study economics.

The only explanation doctors could find was sudden adult death syndrome, which claims up to 800 young, fit and healthy lives every year.

Incredibly, his great-grandfather died at the age of 31 under similar circumstances.

Andy Burnham, MP for Leigh, said Anthony's death 18-months-ago had prompted him to sponsor a new Commons bill which would clear the way for regular screenings for youngsters with symptoms of heart problems or who had lost a blood relative to a heart failure.

Anthony's grandmother Mildred Holme, of Hall Lane, Hindley, said: "Something needs to be done to stop this from happening to these poor young people.

"Life has not been the same since Anthony died, I still look at pictures of him and ask myself 'why did it happen?'.

"I hope one day every child in their teens is able to have the screening which could stop this terrible thing."

His mother and step father, Pauline and Stephen Jolly, had moved the family to Hull where Anthony had just finished his A-levels when tragedy struck.

An A-grade student, Anthony would think nothing of building a computer in a day and had set his heart on going to Cambridge to study electronics.

He was also a keen athlete who had just won the 800 meters race at his school sports.

Prior to his death Anthony had complained of feeling bloated and off-colour after a meal at a restaurant with a friend.

But he went to bed as normal on the terrible night.

Mr Burnham said: "Anthony's story is heart-breaking and has left a lasting impression.

"Though this bill is still a long way from becoming law, I hope it will serve to raise awareness of this terrible problem and represent a major step in reducing the number of young lives tragically lost to it."

The bill which has received support from top sporting figures as Ian Botham and former Wales scrum-half Rob Jones will be debated at its second Commons reading on March 12.