Bradford Coroner Roger Whittaker estimates as many as 300 babies' lives a year could be saved by a warning against parents sleeping in the same bed as their infants.

Mr Whittaker oversaw 12 cases of infants dying accidentally from asphyxiation through sleeping with parents in only two years across Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees.

National figures for the number of accidental infant deaths caused by co-sleeping do not exist but Mr Whittaker estimates that, based on these figures from 2004 and 2005, some 300 infants could be saved in the UK each year.

Mr Whittaker said: "If my figures were extrapolated throughout the whole of the country we are talking about a potential for 300 babies a year being saved."

Mr Whittaker has support from Bradford Teaching Hospitals paediatrician Dr Chris Day and some midwives but the Royal College of Midwives is reluctant to issue a total warning against co-sleeping.

RCM's Yorkshire spokesman, Mary Rooney, said: "RCM advises parents to think about the best sleeping practices. If they are considering having the child in their bed they should talk before they do this because there are situations where it would not be advisable."

RCM guidance discourages parents from co-sleeping on sofas and armchairs, bed-sharing and co-sleeping at home if either parent is a smoker, has recently had alcohol, is on sleep inducing medication or illicit drugs, is unwell, excessively tired or unaware of body periphery'.

It also advises against co-sleeping if the baby is bottle feeding, is bed sharing or co-sleeping with father only or if the father comes to bed later.

Mr Whittaker said he has written to the Department of Health highlighting the dangers of mothers sleeping with their babies and calling for clearer advise for new parents.

Guidance from the Department of Health in a leaflet called "Reduce the Risk of Cot Death," was updated in 2005 to include more information to new parents.

The leaflet warns of a link between sharing a bed all night and cot death if parents are smokers, have recently drunk any alcohol, have taken medication or drugs that make them sleep more heavily or are very tired.

But Mr Whittaker said he would like to see a stronger warning telling parents not to sleep with their babies under any circumstances. "The Government has changed it," he said. "But this information has been lumped together with cot death and I am not talking about that."

e-mail: fiona.evans@bradford.newsquest.co.uk