A TEENAGER was today fighting for his life after suffering a heart attack while apparently inhaling lighter fuel.

Clarke Clayton, 14, from Clitheroe, was discovered unconscious in the garden of a house in Weaver's Croft, Billington, at 11.15am on Saturday.

The occupier found the boy and tried to give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Police were called and Whalley policeman PC Jim Sutton helped to try and revive the boy until paramedics arrived.

Police said the ambulance crew initially believed the boy had died, but managed to get him breathing again.

It is believed Clarke was with another boy, from Billington, when the incident occurred. Clarke, whose mother Amanda Edmondson lives in River Lea, Clitheroe, is believed to have been staying with friends in Billington.

The boy was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary by police escort before being transferred to Pendlebury Children's Hospital, Manchester. He was today poorly at Booth Hall Hospital, Manchester.

Staff at the shop where the gas was bought will be interviewed by police to see if the law has been breached.

Tougher laws on the sale of solvents to young people are set to be introduced by the Government next month. Under current law, shops are not allowed to sell solvents to under-18s if they believe they will be abused.

The new law will introduce a blanket ban on the sale of solvents to under-18s.

Inspector Bob Ford said: "The suggestion is that the boy has been using some sort of gas fuel, which we believe to be butane gas. It appears that he has been inflicting the gas on himself. "He suffered a cardiac arrest and is now critically ill as a result. We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident."

Mr Ford said police had traced the shop where the gas was bought and would be interviewing staff there about any possible breach of regulations.

The boy's family were yesterday at his hospital bedside.

If the boy, recovers he is likely to receive checks for brain damage as a result of the incident.

A man who answered the door at the house in Weaver's Croft where the boy was found refused to talk about what had happened.

In June it was revealed more people die in the North West from solvent abuse than in any other part of Britain.

Last year 14 people in the region died after sniffing gas, aerosols or glue, prompting the Government to consider changing the law.

East Lancashire support group Lifeline hope the new law will help cut the number of young people who die after inhaling butane lighter refills.

A spokesman for the Government's Health Education Authority said: "It is never safe to use solvents - you could die the first time or the hundredth time."

Anyone wanting help or support with solvent abuse problems can call Lifeline on 01254 677493.

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