Jonnie Meek: New inquest into Stafford hospital death

Jonnie Meek died in hospital days after his third birthday

A new inquest has been ordered into the death of a three-year-old boy after suggestions he was killed by an allergic reaction to hospital milk.

Jonnie Meek, from Cannock, died at Stafford Hospital in 2014.

A coroner originally ruled he had died from natural causes, but this has always been disputed by his parents.

At London's High Court on Tuesday, Lord Justice Hamblen ruled it was "necessary and desirable" for a new inquest, however a date has not been set.

Jonnie, who had a rare congenital disability, died at the hospital's children's unit two days after his third birthday in 2014.

Jonnie's parents believe he died after a reaction to milk he was given at hospital

An inquest by HM Coroner for South Staffordshire in 2015 said he died of natural causes due to pneumonia.

His parents disputed this and maintained Jonnie died from a severe allergic reaction to milk given to him at the hospital.

• Latest news from the West Midlands

An independent review led to three doctors concluding an allergic reaction to the new feed was likely to have contributed to his death.

It found Jonnie developed a rash on his skin, low pulse and breathing problems after nurses changed the formula that was being fed to him via his stomach.

The pathologist involved in the original inquest remained "firmly of the view that there had been a natural cause of death but that the milk allergy may have tipped the balance for the death", the court heard.

However the South Staffordshire Coroner did not contest the application for a new inquest.