SIX children charged with the manslaughter of Nelson pensioner Sheila Bridge were due to appear before a youth panel at Reedley Court today..

The youngsters from Burnley, Nelson and Barrowford were remanded to local authority care and secure units last week when the case was adjourned for a full prosecution review and a postmortem report.

All six children -- made up of four boys aged ten, 11, 14 and 15 years and two girls aged 12 and 13 years -- are also charged with burgling Mrs Bridge's home, in Lansbury Place, as well as public disorder offences.

The 15-year-old has also been charged with a second burglary at Bennett Street, Nelson, earlier on the same night.

Mrs Bridge, a 62-year-old retired home help, died of a heart attack 11 minutes after calling police to report a group of youths causing a nuisance outside her home, on June 26.

She told police youths had been banging on her bedroom window and had stolen a vase of plastic flowers from the windowsill and she had shouted through the open window at them telling them to go away.

Mrs Bridge retired two years ago and cared full time for her husband, Fred, who was seriously ill.

The couple moved to Lansbury Place last year.

An inquest into Mrs Bridge's death was opened and adjourned on Thursday.