THE heartbroken mother of a child who died after a visit to a dentist told a court her daughter was fit and well before she went to the surgery.

Karla Selley's mother, Tracy Marsh, appeared close to tears as she went into the witness box at Preston Crown Court.

She said Karla, five, was terrified of needles and needed a general anaesthetic.

About six months earlier Karla had been extremely upset when she had a tooth out under local anaesthetic.

Mrs Marsh said: "She screamed the place down so we decided she needed a general anaesthetic next time."

During cross examination, Nicola Davies, defending dentist Michael Lane, suggested that Karla had been having trouble with a cough and catarrh before she went to the dentist.

But Mrs Marsh of Golden Hill Lane, Leyland, said: "The cough was not bad at all. She was fine when she went to the dentist."

The jury at Preston Crown Court was told yesterday that dentist Michael Lane and anaesthetist Dr George Vanner made a series of mistakes that led to Karla's death.

Howard Bentham QC said: "The fall from the standards they should have achieved was so great that it should be dealt with by a criminal conviction."

Lane, 42, of Lostock Junction Lane, Lostock, and Vanner, 67, from Bilsborrow near Preston, both plead not guilty to manslaughter.

Karla died in hospital shortly after complications developed after a general anaesthetic was given so a baby tooth could be extracted at Towngate dental surgery in Leyland.

Forensic orthodontist Colin Bamford criticised the procedure allegedly used at the dental surgery.

He said suction should have been used to "sweep" the little girl's mouth of any debris -- which was apparently not done.

(Proceeding)