A three-year-old boy died after a doctor failed to tell the critically ill child's parents to rush him in for treatment.

Joseph Seevaraj was struck down by a severe form of tonsillitis which left his parents so worried about him they repeatedly phoned medical staff for advice.

But an inquest at Brighton was told the doctor they spoke to failed to take proper notes of the toddler's condition and did not realise how seriously ill Joseph was.

When parents Jean and Nicola Seevaraj woke the next morning Joseph was dead.

The Seevarajs, worried about his failing health, had phoned South Eastern Health Ltd's Brightdoc, an out of hours service.

The inquest was told the doctor who took the final call from Joseph's parents on Sunday, January 20, had not made proper notes and failed to use the medical "three strikes rule" under which if someone is deteriorating they should be examined by a doctor.

On January 18 Joseph became lethargic, wanted to sleep and had foul-smelling breath. His parents gave him Calpol and called Brightdoc.

They were called back by a nurse who asked them to look down Joseph's throat but the child refused to open his mouth.

Mr Seevaraj, of Hallyburton Road, Hove, said Joseph was still taking fluids and the nurse advised him to call back if there was any change in his condition.

Later that day Mr Seevaraj noticed small white dots at the back of Joseph's mouth and throat. He rang Brightdoc because his son was not any better.

He was told to bring Joseph to the urgent care centre at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. The doctor who examined Joseph there said he thought he might have tonsillitis although he did not look at Joseph's throat. He prescribed antibiotics and his parents took him home.

By Sunday night his condition had deteriorated rapidly. The Seevarajs phoned Brightdoc and spoke to a doctor.

The couple were giving their son fluids with a syringe and Mr Seevaraj said there was more liquid coming out of Joseph than there was going in, it was stated.

He said he and his wife were very concerned that their son should be on a drip because he was dehydrated.

Mr Seevaraj said: "We did ask should we bring him in. The doctor said we were doing the right thing."

The inquest was adjourned.