THE mum of a teenager who died in custody said today it was completely unacceptable' that the grieving family of Adam Rickwood were still waiting for an inquest two years after his death.

And Pauline Campbell - whose daughter Sarah, 18, died in Styal Young Offender Institution, Cheshire, three years ago - said Adam's death raised serious questions about the use of prisons for the detention of children.

Adam, of Harold Street, Burnley, was found hanged in Hassockfield Secure Training Centre, Durham, in August 2004 aged just 14. He remains the youngest person to die in custody in this country.

But as reported in the Lancashire Telegraph, his mum Carol Pounder said she was still no closer to knowing why her son died - and may not find out for at least another year.

She has called for a public inquiry into the deaths of youngsters in custody before more lives are lost; two children have died in custody since Adam's death.

Today Mrs Campbell, a trustee of pressure group the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: "It is completely unacceptable that the family of Adam Rickwood is still waiting for an inquest to be held, two years after his death.

"The youngest person to die in prison custody, Adam was in the care' of the privately-run Hassockfield Secure Training Centre when he died.

"The death of this young child raises very serious issues. As with all prison inmates Adam was owed a legal duty of care."

In January 2005, Gareth Price, 16, also died in custody at Lancaster Farms young offenders institution. And In September last year, Sam Elphick, 17, lost his life at HMP Hindley.

Adam was found hanged in his cell and was pronounced dead at Durham's University Hospital. He had been on remand for one month after allegedly breaching bail while accused of a wounding offence. The charge was later dropped.

The issue of children in custody is expected to feature in a forthcoming Youth Justice Bill being draw up by the Government. However it is not known when the bill, first mentioned in the Queen's Speech two years ago, will appear.

A Home Office spokesman would only say the bill would be produced "when Parliamentary time allows".

Mrs Pounder has been backed in her fight for answers by pressure group Inquest, which last year published a book detailing child deaths in custody and calls for an independent standing commission on custodial deaths and an end to locking up children.