A YOUNG girl died of a heart attack after slipping under the bath water while her mother went to get a towel, an inquest has heard.

Nicola Pattison, three, died on February 5 at her home in Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough.

The inquest was told that Nicola's parents, Julie Heslehurst and Martin Pattison, called out a doctor on the day of the accident because she had been poorly overnight.

Dr Kasipillai Sandrasgaram told the inquest he went to see Nicola and diagnosed her with a viral illness.

Having taken some medication, Mr Pattison said she seemed to "perk up" and a few hours later, was playing happily in her bath.

Mr Pattison said Nicola's mother left her daughter in the bath for a few seconds to get a towel and when he looked into the bathroom 20 or 30 seconds later he saw her lying face down under the water.

Teesside's deputy coroner, Gordon Hetherington, said it was likely that Nicola had slipped and fallen into the water. The shock of the water hitting her face and the back of her throat may have caused a fatal heart attack.

Mr Hetherington recorded a verdict of death by accident, adding that it was a very rare occurrence.