A mother's desperate attempt to save her son's life as he choked to death on a kebab was captured in a 999 call.

As Michelle Curtis fought to save 10-year-old son Christopher's life she sobbed to an emergency operator: "Please, he's dying. His pulse is going." The harrowing transcript of Michelle's call to the ambulance service was read out at Christopher's inquest.

She fought frantically to save him as the operator tried to keep her calm and give her instructions to dislodge the trapped pieces of beef.

Christopher started choking after eating a steak kebab and it was found two pieces of meat, one four inches in length, were lodged in his throat.

Coroner David Mitford read from a heartbreaking transcript between Christopher's mum Michelle and an emergency services control room worker.

Michelle fought frantically to resuscitate him as the controller gave instructions to her over the phone as she tried to perform CPR until paramedics arrived.

The tragedy happened when 35-year-old Michelle, her partner John Belshaw and Christopher tucked into the takeaway while watching EastEnders at their home in Melbourne Court, Battlefield, Newcastle, in March.

In a statement made to the Newcastle inquest, Michelle said: "All of a sudden he took a bite and started choking. I got up from the settee and started hitting Christopher on the back to try and help him.

"But that did not seem to do anything. He started to panic. Christopher collapsed on the floor as John held him. I rang 999."

Rapid response paramedic Ian McGibbon then arrived and removed the two meat pieces from Christopher's throat with special tongs. One piece, around two inches big, was stuck on his vocal cords and another one twice its size was lodged further in his windpipe.

Christopher was taken to Newcastle General Hospital but after all efforts to revive him failed, Michelle made the decision to switch off his life-support machine.

He died of a lack of oxygen to the brain, caused by the meat being stuck in his throat.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner David Mitford said: "You should not blame yourself. You did everything you could do. There was no heart beat. The situation was desperate by the time medical help got to you. But that does not mean the efforts were in any way inadequate.

"It was an accident that Christopher swallowed the pieces of meat and they got stuck in his throat and stayed there."

Shelley and her partner John Belshaw fought desperately to resuscitate the boy but despite their efforts to save him his heart stopped and he was pronounced dead at hospital.

Mum Shelly, 35, said at the time of his death: "I still can't believe it has happened and I'm coming to terms with it all.

"Steak meat was his favourite meal and we'd picked up some kebabs from the local takeaway. "When he started to choke I tried to pat him on the back and I was panicking.

"When I saw it was not coming up I phoned 999 and they told me to give him five pushes on his rib cage but it became too late and his heart stopped.

"It seemed like forever and it is all just a blur now. The paramedics tried to resuscitate him but it was too late."

Christopher was close to his retired granddad Alistair Ralston, 59.

His mum said: "Christopher had a really strong bond with his family and his granddad Alistair was like a dad to him. They were devoted to each other and would build boats and bird tables up at his allotment."

Bright Christopher, who would have turned 11 on June 10, had impressed teachers at his school in Newcastle upon Tyne, with his top grades in subjects such as maths, physics and computers, said his mum.

"He was very artistic and liked school a lot but he was always getting into mischief," said his proud mum.

"He had a very cheeky grin and was always messing about but the teachers still loved him."

Christopher was also a popular face in his neighbourhood where he would go bike riding with cousin Mark, 13, and friends Reece, 11 and Alex, 10 and was well known as being one of the best goalkeepers among the kids.

His year six teacher and deputy head at his school, Karen Sample, said: "He will be missed a lot.

"He was a very bright child and everybody knew in science he would always have the right answers. There was not a bad bone in Christopher's body."