Wedding planner died after sampling hot fishcake at venue which burned his throat

A wedding planner died just 12 hours after sampling a hot fishcake at a venue which burned his throat and caused him to stop breathing, an inquest heard.
An ambulance was called, but delayed.An ambulance was called, but delayed.
An ambulance was called, but delayed.

Darren Hickey's voice box swelled up after he ate the "very hot" food, which got worse and eventually caused him to choke.

An inquest into his death heard how he would have had difficulty breathing and swallowing due to the pain and swelling.

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Pathologist Dr Patrick Waugh, who performed Mr Hickey's post-mortem, said his case is very rare and normally seen in people involved in house fires with inhalation of smoke, which burns the airways.

He told the inquest: "The patient can appear well, they will be talking to you, but then the swelling starts."

Mr Hickey, 51, was given the small fishcake to try by a chef at his wedding venue as he was leaving to attend a charity meeting at around noon on April 4.

The food burned the back of his throat and Mr Hickey visited the Urgent Care Ward at Chorley Hospital after the pain got worse throughout the afternoon.

Acting senior crooner Alan Walsh heard how Mr Hickey was sent home with paracetamol and told to return if the pain got worse.

The damage to his throat was so far down it could not be seen without specialist equipment.

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The inquest heard Mr Hickey, of Bolton, Lancs., went to his room to rest after being discharged from hospital.

But the swelling in his throat got worse and his partner Neil Parkinson heard him making noises and found him choking at around 9pm.

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Mr Parkinson told the inquest: "He shouted so I ran upstairs. He was stood up choking and coughing so I banged his back but then he slid forward onto the floor."

An ambulance was called, but was delayed for around five minutes due a problem with the postcode of the building.

The inquest heard the delay in the ambulance was unlikely to have contributed to Mr Hickey's death.

Paramedics treated Mr Hickey at the scene and rushed him to the Royal Bolton Hospital but he was tragically pronounced dead just after midnight, less than 12 hours after sampling the fishcake.

The horrific incident happened seven years after the former maître d' suffered a "catastrophic" stroke which left him in hospital for 18 months and with some difficulty walking and speaking.

Despite this setback, Mr Hickey channelled much of his energy into charity work was handed the Inspirational Person of Courage Award by the Stroke Association.

Mr Walsh said: "He was enormously positive and enormously caring and gave to charity - he was a very generous, caring and compassionate man.

"He was a remarkably strong and resilient man to overcome that stroke."

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The coroner added the case raised questions about the care at Chorley Hospital's Urgent Care ward, which is run by GTD Healthcare as an extra unit to take pressure away from the Accident and Emergency Department.

Mr Hickey had been seen by a practitioner in this ward who also contacted a specialist from the Ear, Nose and Throat unit at Preston Hospital.

However, because of a number of unusual circumstances surrounding the case, including the lack of burns to Mr Hickey's mouth and tongue, they were unable to find the damage.

The burning occurred so far down his throat it could not be seen without specialist equipment.

Bolton Coroners' Court heard a full review into the incident would be carried out.

Mr Hickey's cause of death was given as asphyxiation.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Walsh said: "I believe there are enormous lessons to be learned.

"This was caused by eating a fishcake, very small and very hot but with catastrophic consequences. I find this an immense tragedy."

Speaking after the inquest, Neil Parkinson, 55, said: "Darren was a larger than life character, always helping other people and was the centre of attention.

"He would take over a room if he walked in. He did loads for charity and was well liked in the community."

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