DOCTORS have failed to identify a cause for the death of a week old Atherton baby.

An inquest in Bolton heard how Benjamin James Blackwell was born at the Royal Bolton Hospital in November last year weighing 6lb 1oz.

His parents Rebecca Simpson and Lee Blackwell took him home to Newbrook Road, Atherton, and he appeared to be thriving.

Miss Simpson told coroner Jennifer Leeming that he was feeding well and appeared to be fine apart from some sneezing.

Visits from the family's GP also confirmed he was well.

But one night when he was seven days old he had a bottle feed at 4am and was placed in his cot in the recommended position on his back.

Three hours later his parents discovering he was not breathing and had no heart beat.

Attempts by paramedics and doctors to revive him failed.

Police found nothing suspicious in his death and child pathologist Dr Melanie Newbould said tests had been carried out for all possible known causes of death but nothing was found.

She added that cot death normally occurs in older babies and in infants of Ben's age it is rarer, but not unknown.

Mrs Leeming recorded an open verdict.