POLICE investigating the sudden death of a toddler have revealed his identity.

Mitchell Alan Bate, of Rodney Street, Hartlepool, was found unconscious at home by his mother on Friday.

An ambulance was called, but the youngster, who would have been two next month, died a short while later.

Police are awaiting toxicology test results to find out how the toddler died, but detectives have not ruled out the possibility that he took a fatal drugs overdose.

It is believed the boy had been sleeping downstairs with his 23-year-old mother when he was discovered.

She called an ambulance at about 6.40am on Friday and he was taken to University Hospital of Hartlepool where attempts to save him failed.

A post-mortem examination has been carried out but the results have so far proved to be inconclusive.

A neighbour said: "He was such a canny little baby. I've seen him out and about in his pushchair. It's such a shame."