TWO-month-old Katie Louise Jones became yet another victim of sudden infant death syndrome, an inquest was told.

But coroner Michael Singleton told the tiny tot's parents that there was nothing to suggest the tragedy would be repeated if they ever tried to start a family again.

The inquest heard that Katie had been a healthy 9lb 6oz when she was born at Queen's Park Hospital in March and everything about her short life had been totally normal.

Mum Hillary Aspinall, of Blackburn Road, Darwen, told the inquest that she had a perfectly normal pregnancy and had taken Katie home three days after she was born. She said she and her partner, Jason Jones, had no worries about Katie, who ate and slept well and was a contented baby.

Miss Aspinall said on May 8 she went to bed early and Mr Jones gave Katie her late night bottle before winding the baby and putting her in the Moses basket close to her mother's bed.

Mr Jones said he checked on mother and child in the early hours of the morning and everything seemed fine. But when Miss Aspinall woke she found Katie blue and cold. She was taken by ambulance to Blackburn Royal Infirmary, but was dead on arrival.

Consultant paediatric pathologist Melanie Newbold, who carried out a post mortem examination, said everything about Katie had been normal. She said there was some evidence of a viral infection but this had not played any part in Katie's death.

"The post mortem examination has failed to establish a cause of death but the circumstances fit with sudden infant death syndrome," said Dr Newbold.

Mr Singleton asked Dr Newbold whether, if they were to have further children, there would be an increased risk of a repetition.

"It is very rare to have two such cases in the same family but, unfortunately, there is so much that we do not yet know," added Dr Newbold.

Mr Singleton said that he was left with a very healthy child just being snatched away for no apparent reason. "I have tried to encourage you in the belief that there is no fundamental problem that will mean that any future children will be at any particular risk," said Mr Singleton.

"There is nothing to suggest you have done anything wrong and it was not something you could have anticipated." Herecorded a verdict of natural causes.