THE mother of Adam Rickwood - the youngest person to die in custody in the UK - is fighting for a judicial review into her son's inquest.

Carol Pounder revealed the move as she staged a protest march yesterday on what would have been his 18th birthday.

She was supported by Adam's sisters, and other family and friends for the march which began at her home and ended at Burnley Magistrates' Court.

Lawyers acting for Mrs Pounder, of Greenock Close, Burnley, have lodged an application with the High Court over the Durham coroner's hearings into the 14-year-old's death at Hassockfield Secure Training Centre in County Durham.

Mrs Pounder says that the inquest "raised more questions than answers" and that the full facts were not presented to a jury, which returned a suicide verdict.

She is questioning the restraint techniques employed by officers, and why no further action has been taken against those who dealt with her son.

Adam was remanded into custody by Burnley magistrates.

Speaking on the steps of the courthouse, she said: "I should not be here today - I should be helping Adam to celebrate his 18th birthday.

"But I am doing this because I want them to stop sending children to jail.

"If I can do something which would save just one child's life, and prevent another mother from having to go through what we have as a family, then I will have succeeded.

"I want the Government to hear this, I want the Home Office to hear this, because sooner or later we are going to have another death on our hands."

Prisons charity Inquest, which highlights the issue of deaths in custody, has supported Mrs Pounder in her legal fight.