THE stepfather of a boy who died after an asthma attack fought back tears yesterday as he told an inquest how he tried to resuscitate him.

Stephen Dorn, 12, had a long history of asthma, which was particularly bad in the winter. On the day of his death, February 20 last year, the youngster, who was a keen sportsman, had been playing computer games and football at his Billingham home with a friend, Harry Lathan.

The two boys were upstairs when Harry shouted to Stephen's mother, Sheena Allison, that Stephen had collapsed and was having difficulty breathing.

Mrs Allison called to her husband, Peter, who went upstairs to find Stephen on the floor. Mr Allison told Teesside Coroner's Court: "I rushed upstairs and it was clear he was in trouble and he was gasping for air.

"I took him to the landing and tried to give him mouth-to-mouth and heart massage. I did that until the ambulance arrived."

Mr Allison also told the court that despite suffering from asthma, Stephen, a pupil at Billingham Campus School, enjoyed playing football, running and karate.

Stephen was taken to the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton, where he was pronounced dead.

In a statement read out at the inquest, Harry said: "He was coughing, puffing and panting and he fell on to the bedroom floor, where he had trouble breathing."

Coroner Michael Sheffield said: "I am satisfied the cause of death is natural causes, which possibly could be related to the asthma he suffered from."

Speaking after the inquest, Mrs Allison said Stephen would be missed by his large extended family and many friends.

She said: "He was a fun-loving boy. Everybody misses him so much."