A FOUR-month-old baby who suffered from Cerebral Palsy died after contracting bronchopneumonia, an inquest has heard.

The hearing in Blackburn was told how Bella Rae Greenwood was discovered not breathing by her mum Jade on the morning of April 11 at their home in Clitheroe.

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Jade had undergone an emergency caesarean section on November 29 at Burnley General Hospital.

Bella Rae was taken for further care in Newcastle before returning to the family home in Riverside, Clitheroe, on February 10.

The hearing was told that her heart rate was 55 beats per minute, compared to her mother's rate of more than 70, which formed the basis of the doctor's decision to carry out the caesarean section.

Jade said: "On April 10 she started to be properly unwell and I took her to the doctors.

"She had not been very well the night before and had been awake all night being unsettled.

"At about 1pm she was having difficulty breathing and the doctor gave her antibiotics because he was concerned that she had pneumonia.

"She seemed settled later on but at about 8pm she seemed unsettled again.

"In the morning my partner got up to go to work and when I got up I found that she was not breathing."

The inquest heard that the ambulance was called and that she was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Michael Singleton, senior coroner for Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley, said: "As a father, as a grandfather, it's hard to imagine the loss of any baby.

"I'm sure that despite all the problems she was much loved.

"I know there is nothing I can say that can take away any of the pain and grief.

"I wish you well with you current pregnancy."

Dr Melanie Newbould, who carried out the post-mortem at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, said: "She was fairly small for her age but I'm aware from other evidence that I have got that she was growing.

"Her brain was small for a child for that age which is one of the features of developing Cerebral Palsy.

"Under a microscope I could see quite extensive pneumonia.

"Children with brain damage are more vulnerable to all sorts of problems associated with a shortened life expectancy."

Mr Singleton recorded a verdict of natural death and said that the cause was bronchopneumonia and a contributing factor was her Cerebral Palsy.