MOTHER Donna Hanson, at the centre of a police probe after losing two babies, is to have her case reviewed following the Sally Clark murder case.

And police today said they were hoping for an "imminent conclusion" after new evidence helped the investigation into the death of Accrington baby Toby Woods -- who died less than a year after his 10-month-old brother.

Findings from the case of Sally Clark -- the Cheshire solicitor acquitted of killing two of her children on appeal last week -- will be taken into consideration before a final decision is made.

Rory Meadows, a consultant paediatrician, was involved in both investigations.

He told the original trial jury in the Clark case that chances of two cot deaths in the same family were 73 million to 1. Experts now say the chances are 8,500 to 1.

A leading officer in the Toby Woods investigation today said the case had not been put on hold to await the Clark verdict but he said it could help bring the case to an end.

Toby Woods died in September 1999 aged four months, less than a year after his brother Ashley.

Their mother Donna Hanson, who lived with Toby's father Robert Woods in Pendle Street, Accrington, was questioned by police after Toby's death but no charges have been brought by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Police had told her no criminal charges would be brought but last year said they were considering new evidence.

A full inquest into Toby's death has been repeatedly adjourned while experts completed reports.

At the last inquest hearing last October coroner Michael Singleton said an application had been made in the High Court for disclosure of documents.

Police now have those documents and will forward them to the CPS.

Detective Inspector Jim Elston said: "We were awaiting material to see if that would take us forward significantly.

"We had also been speaking to some people in the field of pathology to see if they could forward this case in any respect.

"Now, in light of the Sally Clark ruling, the police are looking to liaise with the coroner and CPS to bring this to some formal closure.

"This case is different to the Sally Clark case but it is quite clear it would be imprudent for us not to look at the rulings and we will be taking those into account.

"This is not the Sally Clark case though and I need to stress that this particular investigation into Toby Woods' death will be looked at in its own merit.

"Police are not pursuing any other lines of inquiry in this case.

"We are hoping for a swift decision from the CPS and an imminent closure of this case."

Depending on the outcome of that decision a full inquest may be heard later this year.

Coroner Michael Singleton said: "The inquest has been opened and adjourned on a number of occasions at the request of the police and their inquiries. If the police were to charge somebody with the murder or manslaughter of Toby Woods, the inquest will be adjourned indefinitely.

"If a decision is taken that there will be no charges then I would expect a full inquest to take place later this year."

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said: "In tragic cases like this, it's really important that the police get it right, as they patently did not in the Sally Clarke case.

"I am glad that Lancashire police are making every effort to get it right and are proceeding very carefully. It is more important to get this right than to make a swift decision."