THE mother of a blind toddler who died suddenly at home said she hoped her smiling baby had now seen paradise.

Sahada Patel, 29, had devoted her life to looking after her youngest of three sons, two-and-a-half year old Muhummed, who was born blind and severely disabled.

But today she spoke of how she felt she had lost everything following the toddler's death on Friday.

Muhummed, who could not speak, walk or sit up on his own, depended entirely on his mother, but after a suffering a chest infection last week he stopped breathing.

He had battled with development and mobility problems which left him small for his age, but his parents said despite being told his health may deteriorate his death came as a shock.

Sahada, who is separated from her husband Imtiyaz and lives in Clinton Street, Blackburn, said: "On Wednesday last week he got a mild chest infection and started to breathe roughly. I took him to the hospital and they give him antibiotics and told me to keep an eye on his breathing. He had seemed OK. There was no warning.

"He had been in his father's arms and I noticed he had gone still. He was taken to hospital because he stopped breathing but they couldn't bring him back.

"He used to laugh a lot and he lived for my cuddles.

"I was committed to him and every minute of the day I miss him. He will be in my heart until the day I die. He didn't have the chance to see the world so I just hope he will see paradise now."

Sahada and Imtiyaz, also 29, also have sons Naseer, seven, and Faheem, six.

Muhummed attended Shear Brow Nursery and went to a vision impaired group in Rishton for stimulation and physiotherapy.

Sahada plans to donate his light and sound toys, which were aimed at increasing development, to other children in similar circumstances.

A post mortem examination is expected to take place early this week. Sahada was hoping to hold a funeral for her son on Wednesday before a burial at Blackburn Cemetery.