A MOTHER has spoken of her family's fears that gases released by air bags in a car accident could have contributed to her baby's sudden death.

Thirteen-month-old Jack Lewis Redfearn was involved in the crash eight months before he died.

And his family, of Marlborough Road, Accrington, has been left searching for answers after a coroner was unable to find a cause for his sudden death last October.

His parents feared that gases released when air bags inflated may have contributed to his death.

At the inquest, Melanie Newbold, consultant paediatric pathologist at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury, said she had never encountered a link.

She said: "There does seem to be some significance to parents smoking although that statistic has not yet been explained."

But she added: "The crash was many months before the death."

After the hearing Jack's mum Kirsty Seddon said the family just wanted to know what had happened to their baby.

She said: "Ever since he died we have been desperately searching for answers and we thought the car crash may have played a part.

"Jack was such a happy and beautiful boy, who was always smiling. His death has devastated the whole family."

Miss Seddon, told the inquest that Jack developed a cold immediately after the crash but apart from that had no major problems.

She said that on the day of his death, October 16, Jack had seemed distressed but had calmed down before she went to work. She said that when she got home Jack's dad, Russell Redfearn, said Jack hadn't been himself.

Miss Seddon said she made the boy some tea which he ate and by the time she got him ready for bed he seemed much happier.

She said that when she went to bed at 11.30pm she checked on Jack and felt his leg was cold. An ambulance was called but Jack was found to be dead on arrival at Blackburn Royal Infirmary, the hearing was told.

The medical cause of death was unascertained and coroner Michael Singleton, recording an open verdict, said it was a great disappointment that he could not answer the questions raised by Jack's death.

Mr Singleton said: "I am sure you would have liked to have walked away knowing what happened and why it happened.

"I am sure that in 15 or 20 years medical science will have a better knowledge of why some babies pass away suddenly and unexpectedly."