POLICE investigating the death of a teenager at a school swimming session have spent the weekend questioning pupils who were with him at the time.

Daniel Readshaw was one of two dozen students in the pool at St John's Roman Catholic School, in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, when he got into difficulties on Thursday lunchtime.

Despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at Bishop Auckland General Hospital.

Health and safety experts have worked with detectives on an inquiry launched after the tragedy.

Officers from Bishop Auckland police station are now close to completing interviews with all the children who were swimming with Daniel, who was 13 and lived in Ferryhill.

His family have called for a thorough investigation because his older sister, Anne-Marie, also 13, died in a similar swimming pool incident, at Spennymoor Leisure Centre in 2001.

They fear a hidden hereditary condition may be behind the deaths, and are concerned for their other children, Catherine, ten, who is being treated for leukaemia in a Newcastle hospital, Nicole, 11, and Rachel, six.

Yesterday, Daniel was remembered in prayers at All Saints Church in Ferryhill, where his parents, Iain and Marie, and grandparents, Joe and Kath Conroy, are part of a close-knit parish community.

The priest, Father Brian Murphy, said emotions were raw. He said: "The family are very much part of our community.

"They are lovely people and our thoughts are with them. It is a very difficult time."

A family friend said: "The family have a strong faith and that will get them through. No one can believe this has happened or imagine what they are suffering."

The school has held a mass in Daniel's memory, and pupils and staff are being offered counselling and support.

An inquest has been opened and adjourned, and Daniel's funeral is expected to take place next week.