A 74-year-old grandmother died after suffering a severe allergic reaction to multiple wasp stings during a swarm attack in Galleywood, Essex. Janette Duncan and her husband George were walking to the Galleywood Social Club on 14 August when a nest was disturbed near a pavement.
Mr Duncan collapsed during the attack, and Mrs Duncan rushed to help him before also collapsing. Paramedics arrived quickly by ambulance and helicopter, but Mrs Duncan died later at Broomfield Hospital. An inquest in Chelmsford recorded a verdict of accidental death.
Coroner Caroline Beasley Murray described the death as sudden and unexpected, stating: 'This was a tragic death of a woman who was much loved.' The couple's daughter, Amanda Moore, paid tribute to her mother, saying: 'Mum was my best friend, she enjoyed life and was football mad.'
Mrs Moore urged the public to be cautious around wasp nests, noting that even those who have previously tolerated stings could react badly to a swarm attack. Mr Duncan, a former professional footballer for Glasgow Rangers and Southend United, was unable to attend the inquest due to an unrelated condition.
