A COUPLE who had undergone fertility treatment to conceive the daughter they had longed for endured the agony of losing her only eight days after she was born, an inquest was told.

Helen and Andrew Tyrer's baby Abigail Louise's tragically short life was blighted after just six hours when, for no apparent reason, she stopped breathing.

She eventually died in her mother's arms after she had been taken off a life support machine to have a photograph taken.

Her parents decided that Abigail should not go back on the machine after doctors told them she had suffered severe brain damage.

The couple, of John Street, Clayton-le-Moors, had been trying for a baby for some time had been conceived after fertility treatment.

Mrs Tyrer told the inquest that her pregnancy had gone well until week 27 when she was diagnosed as having pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Abigail's birth was induced at Queen's Park Hospital and everything was normal.

Mother and baby were taken back to the ward at 5am and shortly after the midwife put Abigail on her mother's breast for the first time. Mrs Tyrer said after feeding she laid Abigail on the bed at her side.

At 6.20am Mrs Tyrer woke suddenly, just as the midwife was walking past, and immediately noticed that Abigail was cold and seemed to be the wrong colour.

The infant was rushed to the intensive care unit. A subsequent brain scan revealed blood in the brain and doctors said that if Abigail survived she would be brain damaged.

The medical cause of death was given as asphyxia but Dr Christine Cullinane, of the Royal Manchester Childrens Hospital, said it was not possible to say how this had occurred.

Deputy coroner Carolyn Singleton, recording a verdict of natural causes, said she could hardly begin to contemplate what trauma the tragedy had caused the parents.

"There are no words that anyone can find to offer you any kind of comfort or solace on the loss of your baby," said Mrs Singleton.