A MOTHER has called for an inquiry into how her premature baby son died of an infection on a sterile hospital ward.

Helen Kinder had to be taken from her home city of York to Manchester when she went into labour 14 weeks early, because it was the nearest special care unit space doctors could find.

She gave birth to baby Joel in February, weighing only 1lb 5oz, but he died in the early hours of Saturday at St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, aged only 27 days.

His death certificate states he died of necrotising enterocolitis, an illness affecting the intestine.

But his 26-year-old mother, who has four daughters with partner Jonathan Greenup, has questioned his rapid deterioration. She said: "I want to know how a baby in a supposedly sterile, hygienic environment gets not one infection, but two.

"The first he got over thanks to antibiotics. Then, when he seemed to be doing well, he got another, which killed him.

"We just do not understand it. I cannot grieve for Joel until I get the answers, if the post-mortem examination does not give me them, I will call for an inquest."

A spokesman for St Mary's said: "This patient was a very sick premature baby, who sadly died suddenly due to complications relating to his prematurity.

"We are arranging an appropriate time to meet with his parents to discuss their concerns."