THE safety of baby Emma Dyson who died when her mother threw her into the Leeds Liverpool canal was a cause of social services concern even before she was born, a health watchdog claimed today.

Burnley Community Health Council chairman Frank Clifford said he had evidence that Emma was on a social services register three months before she was born but she was never placed on an "at risk" register.

Last week a court remanded her mother Rabina Hashim to a secure mental unit for an indefinite period.

Mr Clifford said records show a needs assessment for the unborn child whose mother had a history of mental problems, was ordered in July before her birth in October after an alert from a health visitor.

Coun Clifford said similar tragedies were waiting to happen because of lack of funding for mental health services in the Burnley area

He said records also show that Hashim, who had an earlier conviction for attacking a two month old boy, was the subject of a mental health assessment and an application for her formal admission to hospital three weeks after Emma's birth.

The assessment showed Hashim had a high level of disability and only limited support and there was a need for extensive support and urgent intervention, he added. Rabina was released from the mental health unit at Rossendale General Hospital, where she was being treated for post natal depression, just weeks before she threw Emma into the canal.

Coun Clifford asked why Emma had never been placed on Lancashire Social Services "at risk" register and said evidence heightened his concern over the role of social services which has declined further comment until the outcome of a review of the case being carried out by Lancashire Area Child Protection Committee.

He said: "I also have concerns that the social worker allocated to Emma's case was no longer working in the area at the time of her death. There are many questions to be answered and silence will not repel the mounting tide of public concern and outrage surrounding this tragedy."

East Lancashire Health Authority will be discuss the case at its meeting on Wednesday December 20.