A CORONER recorded an open verdict on the death of a seven-week-old twin after two pathologists failed to find out why she died.

East Lancashire coroner David Smith heard how baby Amy Seddon died in bed with her parents Helena and Stephen at their home in North Street, Haslingden, on Sunday, July 9.

During an inquest in Burnley, Mr Smith heard evidence from paediatric pathologist Dr Melanie Newbold, who told the hearing how extensive tests had failed to discover why Amy died.

She said the baby, who has a twin sister Rebecca, had no disease or abormality but that there were two possible causes of death.

Dr Newbold said Amy may have died from sudden infant death syndrome, commonly known as cot death, but that there was a history of babies sleeping with their parents dying from some sort of accidental occlusion of the airways. She told the inquest it was difficult to exclude that.

Home Office pathologist Dr William Lawler, who attended the post-mortem, agreed with her findings.

Helena and Stephen told the hearing they had take Amy into bed and woke the next day to find the tot lying still between them. Amy died despite desperate attempts to resuscitate the child.

Mrs Seddon said Amy and Rebecca were born three weeks premature on May 18. Rebecca was 5lb 15oz and Amy 3lb 13oz.

She said Amy was kept in intensive care for a time after the birth but when she came home was fine. The children had their injections and afterwards a GP prescribed paracetamol solution for both girls when they were off colour.

On Saturday, July 8, Mrs Seddon said both girls were fine and went to bed at 7.30pm. She said both were fed later in the evening but that Amy started crying some time after midnight and would not settle. Mrs Seddon fed her again at about 1.45am and took the child into her bed because she wold not settle.

Mrs Seddon said: "I fell asleep and the next thing I remember was being awakened by Rebecca crying. I looked at Amy, she looked still. There was some blood on the bed sheet around her nose."