‘Lovely, happy’ woman died while on holiday in north Norfolk
Pinewoods Holiday Park, Wells,PHOTO: IAN BURT - Credit: IAN BURT
One of the last people to speak to a woman who died while visiting a north Norfolk holiday park has described her friend as a 'lovely, happy person, who was innocent like a child'.
Mandy Swallow, from Scunthorpe, was found unresponsive in the bedroom of the caravan she was staying in at Pinewoods Holiday Park in Beach Road, Wells, on the evening of July 14, last year.
Despite efforts from fellow holiday makers, holiday park staff and paramedics the 51-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
At an inquest into Miss Swallow's death held at Norfolk Coroner's court on Tuesday, the court heard from Brian Hixon, who Miss Swallow was staying with at Pinewoods Holiday Park.
The court heard how the friends had driven to Wells earlier that day but during the journey Miss Swallow had received a message from a friend who told her she would no longer be able to look after her cats while she was away.
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In his evidence, Mr Hixon told the court how this news had led Miss Swallow to become 'very upset'.
Jane Chapman-Kane, Miss Swallow's friend and neighbour in Scunthorpe, who was talking to Miss Swallow via Facebook in the hours before her death told the court the last time she saw her friend she was 'beaming'.
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She said: '[Mandy] was a lovely happy person, innocent like a child,
'The last time I saw her was July 12, she seemed so happy, beaming really.'
Ms Chapman-Kane added that on July 14, she received a number of messages from Miss Swallow who was concerned about her cats being taken away and into the custody of Cats Protection.
In series of Facebook messages, the court heard how Miss Chapman-Kane tried to reassure Miss Swallow, telling her the cats would be fine, and 'no harm would come to them'.
Concluding the inquest, Yvonne Blake, area coroner for Norfolk said while Miss Swallow had told Ms Chapman-Kane she was going to act to end her life, there 'was no evidence of any real plans'.
Ms Blake said: 'I'm not convinced [Miss Swallow] intended to kill herself' sending her condolences to all those who knew Miss Swallow, Ms Blake gave a conclusion of a drug related death.
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