A MUM whose baby son died in tragic circumstances in Helensburgh five years ago this month is to help other bereaved parents cope with their loss.

Nicole Bowles, whose four month old son, Ben, died when she was out shopping in the town, is one of a number of parents who will share stories in workshops across Scotland.

The workshops have been made possible thanks to a National Lottery award of a £77,130 to the Scottish Cot Death Trust.

Ben’s death occurred in a freak set of circumstances when Nicole was out buying groceries.

He was in the bottom section of a double pram and older brother Alistair was on top.

At the butcher, Nicole bought chicken fillets and put the bag into the pram.

But on the 10-minute walk home, the bag slipped through from the top section of the pram and landed on Ben. The heavy bag covered his face and he couldn’t breathe.

When Nicole realised what had happened, she immediately started giving her son CPR.

An ambulance rushed Ben to hospital and he was put on life support, but doctors broke the news to Nicole and husband Dan that he had been starved of oxygen for too long and was effectively brain dead.

They had to make the agonising decision to stop treatment and were with Ben when he died.

Welcoming news of the cash award to the Scottish Cot Death Trust, Nicole said: “When it comes to child loss, unless you have been through it you can’t understand it and it’s so difficult to find other people who have been through a similar experience.

“When your child dies you feel guilty, you feel you have failed in your role as a parent to protect your child.

“People not talking to you can often lead to more negative thoughts and increase the sense of isolation you feel. Taking part in these interactive workshops will be a lifeline for parents.”

Their thoughts and feelings will form the basis of a new play that will be premiered at the International Conference on Stillbirth, SIDS and Baby Survival in Glasgow in June next year, before touring Scotland.

Nicole and Dan, who is in the military, now live in Chester with sons Alistair, seven, Toby, three, and Ed, one.

After the traumatic events in Helensburgh, the couple, both aged 32, set up a group called Our Missing Peace and designed a badge people can wear, which lets other people know they are missing a son or daughter, and that it’s OK to be asked about them.

Nicole told the Advertiser: “The loss of a child is the most massively isolating experience that anyone can go through. The badge, a purple heart with a jigsaw piece missing, allows people to approach the subject in a non threatening way. It breaks the silence and taboo and gives the conversation a direction.”

Lynsay Allan, executive director, Scottish Cot Death Trust, said: “The Scottish Cot Death Trust wanted to give parents an opportunity to reach out to the community and tell their story.

“We aim to have a play that people from all backgrounds can relate to. For some it will educate them about what it means to be a bereaved parent.

“Importantly, the story will reach out to any parent whose child has died, whatever the cause. Child death is something we all find distressing as it goes against the natural order of life.

“The power of this project is that we don’t know at this stage what the story of the play will be. The families taking part are the real story tellers and creators. They own this process.”

Nicole added: “The Helensburgh community was massively supportive to Dan and I and these workshops and the play will help so many others around Scotland.”

?To support Our Missing Peace, visit www.ourmissingpeace.org