POLICE are investigating the deaths of a four-month old boy and his ten-month-old brother who died within a year of each other.

An inquest into the death of Toby Woods, of Pendle Street, Accrington, who died on September 28, was adjourned earlier this month to allow detectives to make further inquiries.

Now police have revealed that they are also looking into the death of Ashley William Woods, aged 10 months, who died last December after he stopped breathing and was rushed into hospital.

An inquest in March recorded a verdict of natural causes on Ashley after a coroner heard how he died within 12 hours of hospital doctors saying they could find nothing wrong with him.

But after returning home the child was found to have stopped breathing. Paramedics and hospital staff battled to revive him but he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Exhaustive medical tests were carried out but consultant paediatric pathologist Dr Melanie Newbould said she was unable to ascertain the medical cause of death. "It was the sudden and unexpected death of a little boy who was normal in every way", she told the inquest. Recording the verdict the then Blackburn and Hyndburn coroner Andre Rebello said no-one was to blame for the death.

"Clearly there was nothing that anyone could have done to avoid his death. There was something wrong but nobody could find out what it was either before or after he died," he added.

Toby's death was reported by his mother Mrs Donna Hanson.

Detective Inspector Bob Eastwood of Blackburn CID said: "We are investigating the deaths of two babies from the same family but our inquiries are still at a very early stage.

"We are talking to medical experts and have also spoken to immediate members of Toby and Ashley's family.

"We have not established any link between the two deaths and at this stage we are keeping an open mind."

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