A young mother battling alcoholism was more than double the drink-drive limit when she crashed her car into a tree, killing her month-old son.

Joshua Gain died after his mother Sofie Tait lost control of her car on a country road in Groombridge, near Crowborough.

At yesterday's inquest into the child's death, there were calls for the Government to look at the issue of making car seats safer.

The Eastbourne hearing was told 24-year-old Miss Tait had 170mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood four hours after the crash. The legal limit is 80mg.

Miss Tait, an insurance clerk, had confessed to police she had been drinking on the morning of the accident and told them: "I'm an alcoholic. Social services have tried to take my children away before."

She admitted to having excess alcohol and driving without due care and attention at Eastbourne Magistrates Court on July 15.

She was banned from driving for 20 months and fined.

Miss Tait returned to the court to give evidence at Joshua's inquest but declined to comment on her positive reading.

However, she said her alcoholism was under control.

The accident happened when she was travelling home along Broadwater Forest Road.

Her three-year-old son was sitting behind her and Joshua was strapped in facing the back in the front passenger seat.

Miss Tait, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, said: "I remember looking at my eldest child in the mirror and I don't remember much after that."

As she drove along the 60mph single-carriageway, she crashed at about 6.10pm on February 7.

Joshua died from head injuries at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, the next day.

East Sussex coroner Alan Craze said he would be writing to Transport Secretary Alistair Darling about baby car seats such as Joshua's.

He said that while they offered protection in rear or front impacts, they were less effective in side-on collisions.

Recording an accidental death verdict, Mr Craze said: "The mother of this poor baby has got to live with this for the rest of her life. I just hope she will learn the personal lesson from this wretched event."