AN undiagnosed heart condition claimed the life of a Huddersfield boy.

And, tragically, young James Lodge died four years after the sudden death of his sister.

A Huddersfield inquest heard yesterday how James, four, died at his home in Epsom Way, Kirkheaton, on May 15 last year.

His death was due to a lesion inside his heart, which suddenly stopped it working.

Pathology reports said the lesion had probably been with James since birth, but had lain undetected and not affected him until the day he died.

It was a second tragedy for his parents, Andrew and Judy, who lost daughter Rebecca suddenly when James was just six months old.

The couple are now having tests carried out on their remaining son, Joshua, to make sure he has no hidden illnesses.

Coroner Roger Whittaker said: "I can hardly express my sympathy to you.

"To lose one child in the circumstances you did is dreadful in the extreme. But to have another similar experience is indescribable."

James's parents realised there was a problem early on the morning of May 15.

His father was woken by a thud from James' room. Mr Lodge went to check on his son and found him slumped against a chair and his bed, making an unusual gasping cry.

Mr Lodge took James into his own room and tried to wake him up fully.

James's condition did not get better, so Mr Lodge called an ambulance at 5.55am.

He went downstairs, laid James on the floor on his back and then noticed his son had stopped breathing.

He tried to resuscitate James and paramedics took over when they arrived, but attempts were unsuccessful.

James was taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, where he was certified dead on arrival.

A verdict of death from natural causes was recorded.