A teenage girl died of carbon monoxide poisoning at a campsite after a used barbecue was left inside the porch of her tent, an inquest has found.
Hannah Thomas-Jones, 14, from Wilmslow, had been staying at the Baron Campsite in Bucknell, south Shropshire, in May.
She had been staying at the campsite with her brother, mother and step-father. All four family members were found unconscious in the tent.
An inquest has recorded a verdict of accidental death.
Pathologist Dr Cerys Burrows said there were lethal levels of carbon monoxide in Hannah’s blood.
The inquest heard that family members moved the barbecue into the porch of the tent, to guard against an accidental fire starting.
‘Unaware of risk’
Fumes from the barbecue had blown from the porch area to the sleeping compartments, the court heard.
Hannah had been sleeping top-to-toe with her brother and her head was at the back of the tent in a narrower area where there was less air.
Coroner John Ellery said this had been a contributing factor in her death.
He told members of Hannah’s family: “It’s quite clear that you and many, many people were unaware of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
“I accept that those vapours went to the top of the tent and probably found their way down to the far end, where tragically Hannah’s head was.
“That may well be the explanation why it was she who was so tragically affected.”
Mr Ellery offered his condolences to Hannah’s family and expressed hopes that the inquest would help raise awareness of the dangers posed by carbon monoxide.