A DEVASTATED mother today spoke of her torment over the mystery death of her teenage daughter who died in her sleep.

Emma Louise Woodruff, 17, had got excited watching Liverpool's dramatic victory on penalties over AC Milan in the Champions League final on television in May.

She was last seen alive by her mum Cheryl when they said goodnight.

She was found lying dead when her mother checked to make sure Emma was all right around 12.30am.

An inquest into the death recorded a verdict of "natural causes through unascertained circumstances" but Emma's family have claimed she had epilepsy, which medical tests have never proven.

Today Mrs Woodruff, 36, of Glenfield Close, Blackburn, spoke of the family's torment at not knowing how their daughter died.

She said: "We are not coping too well to be honest.

"I honestly still think we are all in shock, we just cannot believe it. It was just so unexpected.

"She watched the football match, turned the telly off and went to sleep. She never woke up. I went into check on her at 12.30am, as I used to check on her twice a night between midnight and 1am and then at 3am.

"It was horrible, I was just so helpless because I couldn't do anything.

"It just happened so quickly, I last spoke to her at 11 o'clock and I checked her just after midnight and that was it.

"But we still don't know what happened and I feel as if I can't do anything. I don't know where to turn."

Popular St Mary's College pupil Emma, who had a brother, Stefan, eight, and a 14-year-old sister, Rebecca, loved reading, computers, and watching wrestling and football.

Her family say that she did not drink or smoke, or take drugs.

She was studying for her final exams and her family suspect she had suffered from epileptic fits in the past, brought on by stressful situations.

An inquest into the death was first held on August 18, when she should have been collecting her A-level results, but the hearing was adjourned until last week.

The inquest heard how tests on her brain during her life showed no proof of epilepsy but her family are convinced she suffered from the condition and had a fit before her death on May 26.

The teenager also suffered from dyspraxia, a condition which caused her body to act as it she was clumsy.

Emma's death was the latest tragedy to hit the family, after losing two-and-a-half-year-old cousin Kourtney Burns, of Audley Range, to meningitis five years ago. Emma will be buried next him in Pleasington Cemetery.

Cheryl said: "Last week I rang an epilepsy group up but I ended up hanging the phone up. I don't feel as if I have anywhere to go for help now where as I could have rang the group and said 'she has died of epilepsy' and asked for advice.

"I have had to fight for Emma all her life.

"It took me seven years to get her referred for the dyspraxia.

"Parents don't seem to matter when they make these decisions."