AN inquest was opened and adjourned into the death of a five-year-old schoolgirl at a Leyland dentist's surgery.

Karla Rose Selley, of Golden Hill Lane, died on August 9 last year after having a tooth taken out.

Preston Coroner's Court heard that following the procedure, at Towngate Dental Practice, the youngster began to suffer breathing difficulties.

Coroner Howard McCann was told that Karla failed to wake up at the surgery after being given a general anaesthetic.

Paramedics were unable to revive her at the scene and she was taken to Chorley and South Ribble District Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Karla's mother Tracey and her partner Steven Armstrong attended the inquest on Tuesday with family and friends. The hearing was told that Home Office pathologist Dr Alan Williams had carried out a post mortem examination. He said that the cause of death was asphyxiation due to an obstruction of the trachea.

Detective Sergeant Chris Wilde, from Chorley, told the court that a dentist and anaesthetist had been charged with manslaughter. He said the dentist was also facing an allegation of contravening the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Dentist Michael Patrick Lane, 41, of Lostock, Bolton, and anaesthetist George Kenneth Vanner, 66, of Bilsborrow, near Preston, have already appeared before South Ribble Magistrate's Court in Leyland.

They are due to return to the court on May 4 when committal proceedings are expected to take place.

The coroner adjourned the inquest and transferred the matter to the Crown Court.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.