A ‘SUPER-FIT’ young man may have died from a genetic heart condition his mother was diagnosed with weeks before his death, an inquest heard.

Daniel Bagshaw collapsed within sight of the finishing line of the Hong Kong triathlon on October 14 – just five days after his 27th birthday.

His mother Shelagh, who lives in Clitheroe, said: “I wish I’d found out that little bit earlier and that we had realised how urgent it was.

“There wasn’t enough time between me being diagnosed and anyone else getting tested.”

The Accrington lawyer died on the final stretch of the International Triathlon Union Asian Cup in Lantau.

Urging people to get themselves tested, Mrs Bagshaw, who has two other sons, said: “If it could stop any family going through what we are going through it would be worth it. The first thing I said when I was diagnosed was ‘what about my three sons? Is it likely to affect them?’

“I was still waiting for appointment to see a consultant for more detail about the condition.

“Before Daniel’s death, there didn’t seem to be much of a rush. I had had the condition all my life without realising.

“It’s vital my two sons get tested, for them and their families. I would hate anything to happen to them now.

“We have been told that the tests could take another six months to complete. It’s like looking like a needle in a haystack for a genetic fault.”

The inquest into the ex-Clitheroe Grammar School pupil’s death was held at Blackburn Coroner’s Court yesterday.

Coroner Michael Singleton said his post mortem examination suggested he had suffered from an arrhythmia – the condition suffered by Bolton footballer Fabrice Muamba whose heart stopped for over an hour while on the pitch.

Mrs Bagshaw, of Riverlea Gardens, was diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome in August – a condition which makes the heart beat irregularly.

The coroner said that Mr Bagshaw, who had lived in Hong Kong for 18 months, may have suffered from the condition which affects about one in 10,000 people.

Mrs Bagshaw is now calling on more people to be tested.

She said: “I think more people should be tested. It’s a lot more prevalent than people think and it can happen to anyone.

“If it could stop any family going through what we are going through it would be worth it.

“Even if thousands are tested on just one person is diagnosed, it would be worth it. I wish something could have saved Dan.

“It seems to affect the young, fit, healthy and active people, but things can be done if the condition is detected.”

She said the profile of sudden cardiac arrests had been highlighted by Fabrice Muamba.

Coroner Michael Singleton said a post mortem examination was carried out in Hong Kong, which proved inconclusive and Mr Bagshaw’s death was possibly caused by an arrhythmia - an abnormal heart beat and put his death down to sudden adult death.

He said: “He could possibly have had Long QT Syndrome, which his mother was diagnosed with in August.

It’s not uncommon. It seems to affect those that are exceptionally fit, like Fabrice Muamba.”

Mr Bagshaw had previously completed a number of triathlons, marathons, half marathons, an amateur section of the Tour de France and had climbed Mount Everest.

Dad Peter Bagshaw said: “If you had a blueprint for a kid, he ticked all the boxes.

“He trained every day, he ate properly and he was super fit.

“We are devastated. It’s such a waste. We feel like we have been robbed.”

Mrs Bagshaw said she found out she had the condition by chance when she got a chest infection.

“I went to the doctors who did an ECG. They noticed an irregularity and sent me for further tests and I was diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome.

“I would never have known anything about it otherwise.”