Mr Neil Hazelwood fought back tears at the inquest into the death of one-year-old Benjamin Hazelwood at Burnley Coroner's Court which found he had accidentally choked on the small toy.

Mr Hazelwood told the hearing that he was playing with his other son Peter at their home in Florence Avenue last November when he saw
Benjamin crawling across the floor. The devastated dad then explained how Peter (2) crawled on top of Benjamin who did not move.

He said: "Benjamin should not really have had the toy, which was for older children, but that was my fault. I would urge parents to keep them out of the reach of small children.

"I thought at first that he had fallen asleep but then I realised something was wrong. I found the toy in his mouth and tried to get it out. I then called 999 before I eventually got it out."

Benjamin was rushed to the Royal Blackburn Hospital by ambulance but doctors there could not save him. Benjamin's grandparents, Allan and
Brenda Hazelwood, said the closure of Burnley General Hospital's accident and emergency unit had been "an issue" but did not know whether the shorter journey would have saved him.

Speaking after the inquest, Mrs Hazelwood (74) said: "It is certainly an issue and the journey to Blackburn was longer but we will never know whether it would have made a difference. If he could have gone to
Burnley he might have had more chance."

His mother Miss Jane Tattersall thanked the paramedics but said the ambulance journey had "taken a while".

The inquest heard from paediatric pathologist Dr Melanie Newbold, who carried out the post-mortem examination. She said that Benjamin had been a fit and healthy boy with no sign of disease. She gave the cause of death as asphyxia due to airways obstruction.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, East Lancashire Coroner Mr Richard Taylor said: "I hear a story of a healthy young boy playing quite naturally in the presence of his father.

"He was clearly attracted by the toys but tragically put one in his mouth which proved fatal. His father did everything possible to save him."