A TEENAGER died in a freak accident involving a makeshift swing while he was looking after his brother and sister, an inquest was told.

Tony Nightingale was found hanging at his Burnley home after getting himself caught up in a martial arts belt which had been put up between bunk beds in a bedroom at his home.

Tony, 15, of Ardwick Street, Daneshouse, was found by his younger brother Michael, 13, in the bedroom of their home in June.

He was discovered after the family's youngest child, Jemma, five, had run downstairs to say Tony had turned blue, the inquest was told.

Stepfather Robert Wylie told the inquest the belt had been put up between two sets of bunk beds and was used a makeshift swing by the children.

He said: "Tony was a really good lad, very helpful.

"He was upstairs with Jemma when she came down and said to me Tony is turning blue'. Michael went upstairs and found him then I went in.

"His head was in the swing so I took him off and tried to give him the kiss of life while trying to call for the ambulance at the same time."

A post mortem exam-ination was carried out by Dr Twaij at Burnley General Hospital and the cause of death given as hanging. East Lancashire Coroner Richard Taylor said: "Tony was looking after his brother and sister and somehow, we will never know exactly how, this has happened.

"Either he was kneeling by it or resting his neck on the belt and has passed out, but the pressure of the belt on his neck has tragically caused his death.

"This was a freak accident."

He recorded a verdict of accidental death.