The cause of the death of a one-year-old who fell ill on a family holiday is unascertainable, an inquest has heard.

Penelope Collier-Johnson, from Astley Bridge, fell ill with a cough and congestion on a family holiday to Turkey.

On June 22 last year, after their return to the UK, her parents took her to Mandalay Medical Practice where an Advanced Nurse Practitioner said she had a virus.

On July 2 last year, her parents put her to bed but she was unresponsive around an hour later. She was pronounced dead at the hospital after attempts at resuscitation.

At Bolton Coroner's Court this week the family had a number of queries for those involved including Dr Zulqarnain Ahmed, a GP at the medical practice, and Dr Gemma Petts, a pathologist who performed a post-mortem.

They had a range of questions from the reason Penelope did not have antibiotics or a blood test on June 22 to the presence of penicillium mould in Penelope's lungs which they said might be due to the mould in their private rental property. 

However, Dr Ahmed and Dr Petts said these did not appear to cause or contribute to the death of the toddler.

Dr Ahmed said: "We have to go on what we saw at the time she was seen.

"At the time she was seen there was not thought to be a bacterial infection."

Dr Petts made a number of other observations such as the presence of food-like material in Penelope's lungs.

The pathologist could not say with certainty whether this was a result of a choking incident or of resuscitation.

Dr Petts said: "I found the cause of death was unascertainable. It is difficult to accept when I have a lot of information but I am asked in my assessment to come to a conclusion on the balance of probabilities. 

"Although there are findings I do not think any of them explain why she died."

The area coroner Peter Sigee accepted the conclusion of Dr Petts and came to a conclusion of natural causes.

He sent his condolences to Penelope's parents and to the other members of her family in attendance this week.

Mr Sigee said: "I find the cause of death to be unascertainable and I am satisfied the death was of natural causes.

"May I reiterate my condolences to the family. I am sorry I had to learn about her and we had to meet in this way."

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.