TEENAGER Melissa Strickson was not taken into care partly because children abscond from social service accommodation, it has been revealed.

The teenager died of an overdose in October 2001 after running away from home for the 27th time in a year to the home of a self-confessed white witch.

Her parents Vic and Sue, of Tythebarn Street, Darwen, believe their daughter would still be alive had she been detained for a "short, sharp shock."

But the report into her death, published yesterday, said providing accommodation for youngsters was not an answer to solving their difficulties.

It also stated that the "significant" problem of children absconding from local authority care was not confined to Blackburn with Darwen.

The Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC), which is made up of health and education organisations, the police, social services and independent child service providers, spent almost a year compiling the 12-page document.

It was impressed by the level of support the family received from a variety of sources. But said that although communication between the agencies was "satisfactory", it could have been improved. An improved protocol for communication between different agencies is now being prepared.

The report found that 400 people had been reported missing in Darwen in the year before Melissa's death, and that the overwhelming majority of children had returned home safely.

It concluded that Melissa's death was therefore not predictable and was not preventable.

She had a massive overdose of co-proxamol tablets and was pronounced dead on arrival at Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

Sally Corkhill, 41, of Sudell Road, Darwen, was sentenced to two years in jail after pleading guilty to four abduction charges and two of administering a controlled drug. She was cleared of manslaughter.

Her lover, Lee Harrison, 31, also of Sudell Road, received nine months on four charges of child abduction.

Vic said the family were contemplating launching legal action against social services for a breach of the Human Rights Act, which states everyone has the right to have their life protected.

"We will fight on," he said, "this report was a total white-wash. We still want answers and the report doesn't answer our questions."

Andy Docherty, assistant director legal and administrative services at the council, who chaired the ACPC review panel, said: "We all stand by these conclusions.

"The family may think going into care is the best option, but there were lots of other professional opinions which pinpointed different types of care."

Ken Foote, director of social services department, said: "As always, there are lessons to be learnt and improvements to be made.

"Social services has already sought out best practice in the North West in order to develop a protocol for dealing with young people who are frequently reported as missing from home.

"A model is identified, and meetings already taken place with partners to plan its implementation."

Janet Anderson, MP for Darwen, said: "I am very glad that lessons will be learnt."