Man Choked To Death In 'Inpromtu' Cake Eating Stunt

A man died after choking to death after an "impromtu" cake eating competition at a Swansea nightclub, an inquest has heard.

Adam Deeley, 34, a mature student from Birmingham, and his friends had been at the opening night of a photography exhibition at Monkey Bar in Castle Street earlier this year.

Two of the man's friends had put up to four fairy cakes from a left-over buffet in their mouths and Mr Deeley had tried to eat five.

Mr Deeley then began to choke and ran into the club toilets and was pursued by a bar manager and friend Daniel Finselbach.

Mr Finselbach told the hearing that Adam was not drunk and that "he knew exactly what he was doing".

"He went to the toilet and he was convulsing, trying to cough it up, but he could not do it himself," he said.

Mr Finselbach, a former lifeguard, attempted to help remove the blockage by slapping his back and performing the Heimlich manoeuvre.

Paramedics were called to the club and Mr Deeley was taken to Singleton Hospital.

Michael McCabe, the Clinical Director in charge, told the inquest that Mr Deeley had suffered cardiac arrest and "could not be revived despite prolonged attempts".

Coroner Philip Rogers said "this was nothing to do with the management of Monkey Bar, but a spur-of-the-moment event".

"In the circumstances on the evidence I have heard there is only one verdict I can record and that is death by misadventure."

Mr Rogers added that, "clearly, any activity involving putting large amounts of food in the mouth is dangerous" and "should be avoided".

The post mortem concluded the cause of death was a result of choking due to impaction of food in upper and lower respiratory tract.

Mr Deeley had recently finished studying graphic design at Swansea Metropolitan University.

(DS/JM)