A CORONER presiding at the inquest into the death of a baby from Kendal has recorded an open verdict.

Sapphire Jayne Odedra, one of twins, died at her home in Red Tarn Road on February 2, aged just nine weeks.

Giving evidence at Lancaster Magistrates Court, Sapphire's father, Vijay Odedra, told how he first noticed that his daughter "was not her usual self" following a shopping trip to Kendal the day before she died.

Later that night, after feeding and changing Sapphire and her twin sister Catalina, Mr Odedra and his partner, Amanda Stones, retired to bed at around midnight and, because the babies would not go to sleep in their cots, they brought them into their bed.

At around 2am, Sapphire woke up and began crying so Mr Odedra fed her with a bottle he had prepared earlier and returned to bed with her.

She awoke again at 3.30am so he took her downstairs, leaving Miss Stones and Catalina in bed.

Half-an-hour later, Miss Stones entered the lounge where Mr Odedra was watching television with his daughter and remarked on how cold it was in the room before going back to bed.

Shortly after, Mr Odedra fell asleep on the settee with Sapphire in his arms.

When woken again by Miss Stones, at 7am, Sapphire was still in his arms and he was aware "something didn't seem right." After listening to her chest, he began to give her the kiss of life and attempted CPR using two of his fingers.

"All I remember was trying to get my daughter back," he told the hearing.

Paramedics then arrived and took Sapphire to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary where, despite attempts by doctors to resuscitate her, she was declared dead at 9am.

Consultant pathologist Dr Alison Armer told the court that following a post-mortem examination, the cause of death was "unascertained."

She said there were no natural diseases or infections present that could have "accelerated" death, and while there was evidence of bleeding in the lungs this could have been the result of natural causes.

Overlaying was also ruled out as there was no evidence of asphyxia and X-rays revealed no bone fractures or congenital abnormalities.

Recording an open verdict, chief coroner Howard McCann said that this in no way indicated any suggestion of suspicion in Sapphire's death.