A two-year-old starved to death next to his dead father after he suffered a heart attack, his devastated family has revealed.

Bronson Battersby was found curled up in his pyjamas next to his father Kenneth, 60, who is believed to have suffered a heart attack shortly after he was last seen alive on Boxing Day.

A social worker visited their home in Skegness, Lincolnshire on January 2, for a routine visit but received no reply and contacted the police.

They visited again on January 4 but again there was no response. The social worker contacted the police again that day.

Shockingly the bodies of Kenneth and Bronson – who was classed as vulnerable and was being checked on weekly – were not found until January 9 when the social worker herself used a key from the landlord to get into the home.

The toddler’s mother, Sarah Piesse, 43, last saw her son before Christmas after a row with her ex.

She told The Sun: ‘If social services had done their job Bronson would still be alive. But they didn’t do anything.

‘I can’t believe it. They can’t let them get away with this. We have to be able to rely on social workers to keep our children safe.’

‘I’ve had the results of the post mortem. Bronson starved to death because his dad died. They think Kenneth died no earlier than December 29.

‘It means if the social worker had pushed to get in when she got no reply on January 2 then Bronson would still have been alive.’

On Facebook, Bronson’s sister Melaniie Battersby wrote: ‘Beautiful little boy deserved so much better than this life. We love you Bronson, forever a part of us, and forever my baby brother.’

Adding her ‘head and heart’ were ‘in pieces’, she said: ‘A lot of anger inside at minute when I just want to remember his little smile and soft nature instead. He were perfect.’

Mother-of-three Sarah last saw Bronson after getting into an argument with Kenneth before Christmas.

A friend of the family said the toddler enjoyed watching the Cocomelon, adored nursery rhymes and often played his Little Tykes drum kit.

Bronson was last seen alive by his neighbour after they visited the house on Boxing Day. Kenneth then messaged the same neighbour saying: ‘Thanks so much for caring, it means the world to me and Bronson.’

That same day, the social worker texted Kenneth to arrange a visit on January 2.

She contacted the police when she did not receive any answer during the visit and did the same again when she returned to the house on January 4.

The social worker then decided to enter the property herself on January 9 using a key from the landlord.

She found the bodies of Bronson and Kenneth and contacted police, who then rushed to the scene along with paramedics at around 3.25pm. The pair were pronounced dead at the scene.

Kenneth was unemployed and had a pre-existing heart condition which had caused him to become severely jaundiced is the months leading up to his death.

Bronson was also classified as vulnerable by social services meaning that he received weekly visits from social workers.

The Sun said it understands the social worker has not been suspended but has voluntarily taken time off.

Heather Sandy, executive director for children’s services, said: ‘This was a tragic incident, and we are supporting the family at this difficult time.

‘We are carrying out a review of the case alongside partner agencies to better understand the circumstances, and we await the results of the coroner’s investigations as well.

‘Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those involved.’

A spokeswoman for Lincolnshire Police said: ‘Police were made aware of the deaths of a 60-year-old man and a two-year-old child at a property in Skegness, at around 3.25pm on January 9.

‘Investigations have been carried out and the deaths are not being treated as suspicious.’