A BABY who died at six months old was a ‘healthy’ and ‘well-grown baby’ for his age, an inquest was told.

Abdul Iqbal died suddenly in his sleep in Regent Street, Haslingden, on January 13 this year.

Burnley Coroners’ Court heard that Abdul would sleep with his mum, Aneela Denise Best, every night.

The pair would share a double bed and she would cradle him to sleep, the coroner was told.

Paediatric pathologist Dr Melanie Newbold said sleeping like this could sometimes be a contributory factor to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), but said that she could find no natural cause of death.

In a statement read to the court Aneela said that her pregnancy had been without complications and Abdul had been born fit and healthy.

She said: “He would sleep every night with me in my double bed. I would put my arm around him and cradle him until he fell asleep.”

Aneela said she was a light sleeper when Abdul was in the bed and would regularly wake-up and check on him.

On the night of January 13 they were staying at her dad’s house.

Aneela said she woke up at 2am and noticed Abdul was still lying on the side he went to sleep on. She said: “I knew straight away something wasn’t right.”

She carried Abdul downstairs and her father started chest compressions. An ambulance took him to Royal Blackburn Hospital, but doctors were unable to save him.

Dr Newbold said the cause of death was unascertained.

East Lancashire coroner Richard Taylor recorded a verdict of undiagnosed natural cause of death.