AN INQUEST has been opened into the sudden death of a 16-year-old Burnley boy after he suffered a suspected allergic reaction.

Paul Derek Howard died at the weekend after being taken to Burnley General Hospital by his sister.

An inquest opened and adjourned by East Lancashire coroner Richard Taylor yesterday heard he had died after his condition deteriorated.

A post-mortem examination failed to establish an exact cause of death and forensic experts are now conducting histology and enzyme tests to try to find out how he died.

However, the coroner heard the death had possibly been caused by an allergic reaction.

Tributes have poured in to the fun-loving talented student and footballer who lived in the shadows of Turf Moor in Thursfield Road.

David Franklin, headteacher of Towneley High School, where Paul was a pupil until last summer, said: "Paul was a great lad, a great joker. He was the class clown in the best sense. He used to enjoy playing practical jokes on his teacher. She obviously thought a lot of him. He did well at school. He got the grades needed to go on to college. Paul was a nice lad to know as well, always smiling and a quick word.

"He was a very gifted sportsman. He played for the school team and played on Turf Moor in the Keighley Cup.

"All the lads respected him and looked up to Paul. He was well thought of. He was good in what he did but wasn't big headed about it. Nobody has anything but praise for him.

"It's terrible. An absolute tragedy."

Paul's family have been too upset to talk.