Coroner's warning on cord window blinds

A coroner has set out the case for a ban on looped cord window blinds following the deaths of two Staffordshire youngsters within days of each other.

Inquests on Harrison Joyce, aged three, and 16-month-old Lillian Bagnall-Lambe were held in Cannock yesterday, where verdicts of accidental death were recorded. Both died when they were strangled by cords of window blinds last February.

After the hearings, South Staffordshire coroner Andrew Haigh said: "I can see no reason why these cords should not be banned.

"I hope that is a realistic possibility and maybe some good emanating from these tragic deaths

"There are regulations in place, but those do not seem to be effective.

"There are statistics that suggest one child in the UK dies every month in this fashion.

"But I think that is an underestimate and I believe there are in fact a lot more than that."

Mr Haigh said he would pass his suggestions on to the department for business, innovation and skills.

Harrison Joyce, aged three, was found strangled by the blind cord at his home in Walsall Road, Lichfield, on February 4.

Five days later, Lillian died in a similar tragedy while resting in her cot at her parents' house in Dartmouth Street, Stafford.

Harrison was left alone for around eight minutes before he was discovered by his brother Brandon, aged 13, when he returned from school.

Frantic efforts to resuscitate him failed and he was certified dead at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield. Meanwhile, Lillian was left alone for around 10 minutes in her cot with a toy and a blanket and was found standing up with a blind cord around her neck by her mother Sarah.

She was taken by ambulance to Stafford Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Post mortems gave the cause of death in both cases as strangulation and the court heard both youngsters had been in good health for their respective ages.