THE death of a four-month-old baby boy during a routine operation is being investigated by police.

Ijaz Ahmed, from Accrington, died last November during surgery at Booth Hall Children's Hospital, Manchester, to correct a cleft lip and palate.

The probe comes seven months after the consultant paediatric anaesthetist involved in the operation, Dr Mark Baxandall, of Bramhall, was suspended. The police investigation has been requested by North Manchester Coroner Leonard Gorodkin who has passed on a file to detectives.

A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Police said: "We can confirm that police officers are looking into the circumstances of the death of a child at Booth Hall last year."

A spokeswoman for the Manchester Children's Hospitals NHS Trust confirmed that they were aware of the police probe into the death.

She said: "We are aware of the Greater Manchester Police involvement and will co-operate fully with any investigation.

The General Medical Council, the body responsible for investigating doctors, refused to comment.