AN inquest into the death of a Burnley man following an alleged assault has been adjourned after crucial witnesses failed to turn up.

Jason Box, 29, died in Burnley General Hospital three weeks after an incident in Waddington Avenue, Burnley, last July.

A keen mechanic, Jason was admitted to hospital on July 1, but the former pupil of Heasandford Primary and Barden High School died on July 25. He never regained consciousness.

Police launched an investigation after hospital staff raised concerns about the nature of his injuries. Detectives were informed of the alleged assault only after Jason had been in hospital for two weeks. Two people were questioned by detectives during the investigation.

Jason's grieving mum Pauline Box made an emotional appeal for help last August and said she could not come to terms with her son's death until she knew what had happened.

Mrs Box, who lives with her two other sons, David, 26, and Lee, 28, appealed for anyone who may have known what happened to Jason in the hours leading up to the alleged assault to get in touch with the police. In October 2002, detectives investigating Jason's death made a fresh appeal for information.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Ronnan, who led the investigation, said his team viewed the incident as an unexplained death. They tried to establish Jason's movements on the weekend of June 29 and 30. Jason was a well known character on the Brunshaw estate, the town centre and in the Duke Bar area of Burnley.

Deputy East Lancashire Coroner Carolyn Singleton opened and adjourned the inquest at the Ribble Valley Council Chamber in Clitheroe yesterday after four witnesses failed to turn up. She said: "One of them is essential. Without them I can't proceed. I have no choice but to adjourn proceedings."

She issued witness summonses against the four and adjourned the inquest to an unspecified date.