A mother told today how she held her lifeless seven-year-old son in her arms after he fell from a 40ft tower block.

Tragically, Adam Tiffin's death was the second time in less than a month that his mother Paula had lost a child.

She endured the agony of carrying his baby sister, Angel, almost full term only to see her stillborn.

Paula told how Adam said "I love you mum," before running out to play with his friends.

Minutes later he clambered up scaffolding on a building site and lost his footing on the roof, falling onto concrete.

Paula ran from her home nearby after being told by neighbours there had been an accident at about 5pm on Sunday.

She knew instantly that Adam was dead but cradled him until emergency services arrived.

Paula, of Washington, Tyne and Wear, said: "He was a normal lovely little boy who was really funny, he was naughty at times but so are most young lads.

"I feel like my heart has been ripped out. I have lost two children in a month and I don't know how I am going to cope."

Paula arrived at the scene shortly after Adam fell, she said: "I could tell straight away that he was dead. I picked him up in my arms and he felt limp. People were trying to resuscitate him but it wasn't working.

"We had to wait 10 minutes for an ambulance but it felt like a lifetime."

Paula's other children Darren 18, Carl 16, Amy 14, Nathan 12, Steven 10, Dylan 8 and Caitlin 2 are still in shock.

Paula said: "Caitlin keeps asking for him.

"He was excellent at school and hated being late. He loved building things and he could never sit and do nothing he always wanted to be busy. He was his own person and very independent.

"Yesterday he came up and gave me a big kiss and he said 'I love you' I'm so glad I got to hear that before he died."

Paula is being comforted by all her children and her sister Janet.

"I keep expecting him to walk in the door. I walked upstairs yesterday and I felt so empty, but I have got to go on for the sake of the others. Any minute now I'm expecting to wake up and hear find out it was just a nightmare."

Police and the Health and Safety Executive are investigating.

Adam lived at Roche Court about 150 yards from where the tragedy happened at Dryburgh in Glebe, Washington.

He was a pupil at Washington Primary School which is also close to his home.

A single bouquet of flowers left by friends of the family marked the spot where he died. A cardreads "Rest in peace Angel, Lots of love. Marck, Rachael, Jordan, Declan, Rogan and Ethan xxx".

Grandmother Margaret Kelly, 65, who lives just a few doors from where the tragedy happened said her grandson also called Adam, 12, was playing outside with friends.

She said: "I heard someone shout there's a boy fallen from the flats and I heard the name Adam.

"I thought at first it was my own grandson and I rushed out to find out what had happened. My grandson was okay and when I found out what had happened I was just so shocked. It's really sad."

Kath Wright, 42, who lives in Dryburgh and knows Adam's family said: "I really feel for them the family will be devastated.

"They are going to need a lot of help and support."

Another neighbour who didn't want to be named said: "The scaffolding is obviously a big attraction for all the bairns.

"There used to be a play park but they closed that and there's now nowhere for them to play. I have had a look at where it happened and I can't believe they actually left the ladder on the scaffolding."

Shocked residents in Dryburgh told how a woman, believed to be a nurse, rushed to Adam's aid when she heard screams.

A woman whose identity is not known, tried to help the boy as other neighbours ran to help her.

One placed a blanket over Adam until paramedics arrived.

A mum whose son goes to Adam's school said: "We are all so devastated by it.

His mother just recently lost a baby and God knows what state she's in."

Another neighbour said: "There were other little boys with Adam on the roof."

A spokeswoman from the Health and Safety Executive said: "This is a joint investigation between the police and the Health and Safety Executive after a young boy fell from a three-storey block of flats.

"He gained access to the roof via scaffolding that was there for roof repairs. The building is rented accommodation belonging to the Sunderland Housing Group.

"The HSE was on the scene after it happened. We will be making a report to the coroner in due course."