A BABY boy has drowned in a tragic bathtime accident at his Bolton home, it was revealed today.

The five-month-old is understood to have got into difficulties while being bathed at his home in Wigan Road, Deane. A police spokesman confirmed the child's death was being treated as a terrible accident: "It would appear he drowned in the bath. We are satisfied there was nothing suspicious. This was just one of those tragic accidents."

Paramedics were called and they discovered the child apparently had no vital signs of life with no pulse or heartbeat.

The boy was given oxygen in the ambulance but on arrival at the Royal Bolton Hospital still showed no signs of life.

After a desperate fight to save him he was transferred to the specialist Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury.

He was placed on a life support machine in the intensive care unit but yesterday afternoon a machine keeping the baby alive was switched off. His parents are believed to have been at his bedside.

Detectives were called in after being contacted by social services yesterday, following the accident on Monday afternoon.

Officers later travelled to the Pendlebury hospital to complete preliminary interviews with the baby's distraught parents.

A post mortem examination was due to take place today. The coroner has been informed.