AN 11-week-old baby died after being accidentally suffocated while lying under bedclothes, an inquest heard.

Consultant pathologist Dr Alison Armour told Preston Coroner's Court on Thursday June 20 that following a post-mortem the cause of Yasmeen Marie Sharif's death was accidental asphyxia.

The baby, who was born on New Year's Eve last year, had a red mark on her forehead which looked like the child had been face down on the settee when she died.

Her parents, Saleem Sharif and Donna Marie Croft, of Fletcher Road, Ribbleton, both gave evidence recalling the events that led to their daughter's death earlier this year.

In a statement read out in court Mr Sharif told police that he returned home from his place of work at Walton Summit, Bamber Bridge, around 11pm on March 18 and found his children, Lee, four, and two-year-old Adam watching television on the settee.

His partner was holding baby Yasmeen in her arms on the settee.

Mr Sharif told the court he stayed up with his family for 20 minutes before making his way upstairs to bed around 11.20pm with his youngest son. "I heard nothing during the night and woke up the next morning at 8am," said Mr Sharif.

Miss Croft said that she had woken up on the settee at 6am the next day. "I heated a bottle and changed her nappy. Lee was in a deep sleep on the settee and I couldn't wake him up.

"I watched the news, sat in the corner of the settee and I fell back to sleep."

Mr Sharif said he went into the lounge and discovered Donna and the baby on the settee with a quilt over them.

He realised something was wrong as the baby was a different colour and looked purple, so he called an ambulance.

They were given instructions over the telephone on how to resuscitate their daughter until the ambulance arrived.

At Royal Preston Hospital doctors they tried to resuscitate the baby, but she did not respond to treatment.

Coroner Howard McCann recorded a verdict of accidental death by asphyxiation.