Tragic wasp attack kills grandfather, 83, inquest told
A grandfather died at Shrewsbury hospital after being stung hundreds of time when he disturbed a wasps' nest at a Mid Wales caravan park.
Clive Southall's family could "hardly see his face" because there were so many wasps swarming around it as he rushed back to his caravan.
The 83-year-old rushed to the shower to try and wash them off - but collapsed shortly after and had to be airlifted to hospital, an inquest was told.
Mr Southall, from Brierley Hill, near Dudley, was at his holiday home at Llanfair Caereinion in Welshpool when he disturbed the wasps nest.
His family described his death as a "tragic accident" during evidence given to the inquest in Telford.
Mr Southall, a retired service engineer, died at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on August 11, the same day as the wasp attack.
The inquest was completed in just 10 minutes at Telford Register Office yesterday as a "fast track" hearing after his family requested it should go ahead in their absence and without verbal witness statements being given.
The statements from his family were instead read out by Julie Hartridge, officer for Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin coroner Mr John Ellery.
She told the hearing Mr Southall was at the Baxter Mill Caravan Park on August 11.
She said: "According to evidence from his son, at around 11am on August 11 Mr Southall was clearing woods alongside Baxter Mill Caravan Park, where he has a holiday home.
"Also present was his 11-year-old granddaughter.
"At some point during this work it seems he slipped and disturbed a wasps nest.
"The wasps quickly swarmed upon him, and he returned to his caravan to put his head under the shower in a bid to get rid of the wasps.
"His daughter, who was in the caravan, commented that she could hardly see her father's face because there were so many wasps on him.
"He came out of the bathroom shortly after going in and said that he had been stung a lot of times while he was drying his hair.
"Shortly after he suddenly collapsed on the floor."
The inquest heard Mr Southall, of Rodway Close, Brierley Hill, was airlifted to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for emergency treatment but died later that day.
A post-mortem carried out after his death revealed it had been down to anaphylactic shock as a result of wasp stings.
A verdict of accidental death was recorded by Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire coroner Mr Ellery.
"His family describes his death as a tragic accident," Mrs Hartridge added.
