A MAJOR inquiry involving police, social services and health bosses has been launched after a mother and her young child were found drowning in a canal.

The woman and the six-year-old girl were rescued from the Leeds and Liverpool canal behind The Moorings pub, Bolton Road, Blackburn, at 11.20am yesterday by a 16-year-old passer-by.

Police have praised the boy's actions and said he saved two lives. Both the mother, 34, and the child, from the Corporation Park area of Blackburn, are recovering at Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

The mother is currently in the observation ward of the hospital and Det Insp Pete Broome of Blackburn Police said police had begun an investigation into the circumstances leading up to the incident.

The investigation is to involve police liaising with Blackburn with Darwen's social services department and the local health authority with regards to its psychiatric care services.

It is understood the father of the child is flying home from abroad after being informed about what has happened.

Arrangements are being made for the girl to be cared for by her extended family when she has been released from hospital.

It is unclear why the woman left her other children at home and only took the young girl to the canal.

Mr Broome said: "Police are investigating the circumstances in which a 34-year-old woman and her six year-old daughter ended up in the Leeds and Liverpool canal.

"I anticipate that active lines of inquiry will include liaison with Blackburn with Darwen social services and the local area's health authority with regards to its psychiatric care services."

The child was initially treated in intensive care but Mr Broome said today: "The child is sitting up in bed, recovering well. The mother is in the observation ward.

"In the incident yesterday a 16-year-old local youth and his girlfriend came upon the scene and without thought for his own safety he immediately entered the water and rescued both the mother and child.

"Had it not been for the actions of this young man, the consequences of this incident could have been disastrous."

Lancashire Care Trust, the body responsible for mental health services in East Lancashire said it was unable to comment on the incident.

In March 2000, Robina Hashim drowned her four-month-old daughter Emma Jade Dyson in the Leeds and Liverpool canal near Burnley Barracks.

The tragedy prompted a major inquiry into mental health services after it was discovered the mother had been released from Burnley General Hospital just days before the tragedy.

Burnley Healthcare Trust and Lancashire County Council social services pledged to do all they could to prevent a similar tragedy happening again.