A DATE has been set for the inquest of schoolgirl Stephanie Hammacott, who was killed in a freak gas explosion early this year.

Plymouth Coroners' Office announced the four-day hearing is due to take place from February 24 to 27 – more than a year after Stephanie's tragic death.

The nine-year-old died on January 8 when a gas blast brought down a wall on top of her at Bulteel Gardens in Southway.

She had been walking to school with her mother shortly before 8am.

A joint police and Health and Safety Executive investigation in March concluded gas seeping upwards from a fractured main caused the explosion.

Their report was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which later decided it would not bring criminal charges in relation to the incident.

Prosecutors said there was "insufficient evidence" for them to bring criminal prosecutions.

The report has been passed to the coroner, in preparation for Stephanie's inquest.

To be held in the city's council chambers, it will hear evidence from the HSE on their inquiry, along with numerous other witnesses.

A spokeswoman for the HSE said they are awaiting the result of the inquest before deciding whether to bring their own prosecution.

She said the executive was looking at the situation from a different perspective to the CPS, and its decision would be made independently.

The HSE can bring criminal prosecutions in matters of health and safety.

In addition there could be civil proceedings brought by Stephanie's family against companies or agencies who may be held responsible for her death in civil law.

Stephanie's parents held a memorial charity day for her on October 25 – two days before what would have been her 10th birthday.

The Day To Remember Stephanie, held at the Merry Monk pub in Southway Drive, raised about £5,000 for bereavement charity Jeremiah's Journey.