A CORONER has issued a warning over the potential dangers of baby bath seats, after the heart-breaking death of a nine-month-old boy from Cockermouth.

In a 'prevention of future deaths report', addressed to the NHS and the Product Safety and Standards and published on the Government website, Cumbrian coroner Kirsty Gomersal said that the use of bath seats is 'of concern' to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

In her report, Ms Gomersal said that Chester Mossop died following an incident at his home address on May 29, 2022, after being left in the bath 'for a few minutes' while a plug-in diffuser was set up in his room to help with his cold.

The report said: "Chester was placed in a bath seat in a bath of suitably warm water at his home.

"After approximately 20 minutes of bath time, Chester was left alone in his bath seat.

"After a few minutes, Chester was found face down in the bath, the bath seat having become unfixed."

He was immediately taken from the bath and given CPR, before emergency services were called and he was flown to Great North Children's Hospital at the RVI in Newcastle by air ambulance.

Despite best efforts from emergency services and medical teams, Chester had sustained an 'unsurvivable' brain injury, and died in his mother's arms on June 3.

At an inquest held earlier this month, the coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.

She said that Chester was a 'healthy and well-looked after baby' and rejected a submission that the death had been caused by neglect.

The inquest heard no evidence that there were safety concerns with the bath seat in question.

The coroner expressed concern that 'there is a risk that future deaths will occur'.

Ms Gomersal wrote: "I am aware of similar tragic deaths to Chester’s and inquests held by my fellow coroners. RoSPA is also aware of fatal and non-fatal incidents.

"The use of bath seats is of concern to RoSPA.

"Whilst I am aware of the regional Bath Safety Advice, I am not aware that similar advice has been distributed on a national level to healthcare professionals and to parents / carers. I am not aware whether parents / carers are provided with advice about the safe use of bath seats as part of e.g. health visits.

"I am concerned that bath seats may given parents a false sense of security that their child is safe.

"Bath seats are not safety devices."

Safety advice issued by the NHS in the north-east and North Cumbria in the month following the incident includes a RoSPA recommendation that parents do not use bath aids.