THE parents of a toddler who died at a childminder's home today revealed their heartache at having to hold a second funeral for their son.

Joshua Massey-Hodgkinson died aged 19 months at a house in Eightacre Avenue, Sabden, while his parents were on a night out two months ago.

Registered childminder Wendy Barlow was arrested by police in connection with the death and is currently on bail while the Crown Prosecution Service considers the case.

Today, his parents Simon Hodgkinson, 33, and Emma Massey, 24, of St Paul's Street, Clitheroe, spoke for the first time of their agony and said: "We don't know when it will all sink in."

They revealed that several of Joshua's organs were retained by doctors for tests when his body was released for burial last month.

A funeral attended by more than 150 people was held on May 11 at St Paul's Church in Low Moor.

A headstone was put on Joshua's grave at Clitheroe Cemetery on Friday but his family now face holding a second funeral for him.

Emma was training to be a teacher at Blackburn College and worked part-time at the Emporium wine bar in Clitheroe.

She said: "Because the first post mortem examination was inconclusive, they had to keep things for further tests to work out how Joshua died.

"He was originally taken to Burnley General Hospital but then to Pendlebury in Manchester, because that is where the child pathologists are.

"So I never got to see him to say goodbye. I never got to sit next to him and talk to him. The only time I did see him was after they had removed the organs and he didn't look like my Joshua.

"That was when I knew my Joshua had gone somewhere else. I wouldn't wish what we've been through on anyone else."

Simon said: "Everyone who met him, loved him, he was such a little star."

Emma and Simon, a deputy manager for a care organisation, now go to Joshua's grave daily to talk to him.

Emma added: "The gravestone was put in place on Friday, and that is a comfort.

"The support we have received has been amazing. It is at times like this you realise there is a real community around here.

"It's only in the last few days we've felt up to going out and seeing people, but life isn't returning to normal at all.

"We still don't know why Joshua died and until we know that, we can't move on.

"He was our world, he was such a character and it seems so unfair that he isn't here any more."

Joshua's grandmother, Cathy Massey, of River Lea Gardens, Clitheroe, read a bedtime story to Joshua in his coffin at the funeral service.

Cathy, manager of the David Greenhalgh Vets Surgery in Burnley, said: "People there raised money for a monkey puzzle tree in memory of Joshua and for now, it is in my garden. He can see it."