AN inquest into the sudden death of a teenager has been adjourned as new information has come to light.

Harriet Philo-Powell died suddenly aged 18 at the end of February.

Miss Philo-Powell's family, who live in Bulmer, near Halstead, asked for the inquest into her death to be adjourned after finding out the professions of two NHS workers were not as they had understood.

Gordon Powell, Harriet's father, said: "Some of the information we only received at the beginning of the week, we were not aware of the positions of two of the key members of a psychiatric team at West Suffolk Hospital.

"The information came as a great shock to us and it would be useful to have a meeting with the Trust."

The Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Trust has not yet had a meeting with the family to review a serious incident report which they received last month.

Ruth Philo, Harriett's mother, said: "We have not had time for our representative to see all the information and present a fair case so we feel disadvantaged. We didn't realise she was only treated by a nurse and social worker."

The parents had believed psychiatrists had been treating Miss Powell at the hospital before her death.

A representative from the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Trust was present at the inquest.

She said the main issue of concern for the family was the issue of communication between the teams at the Trust.

Caroline Beasley-Murray, senior coroner, said it was a pity the Trust had not had a meeting with the parents prior to the inquest.

It was adjourned until June 27, giving time for the serious incident report to be perfected and a meeting between the family and Trust to take place. Miss Powell was a talented sailor, as well as being an accomplished artist.

She was a student at Colchester Sixth Form College where she was studying Art, Art History and English.

The Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Trust said it will be issuing a statement later today.