An 85-year-old man tragically died after choking on a piece of meat while dining with his son at a Wolverhampton carvery, an inquest has revealed.
Keith Foster, a widower from Bushbury, was eating at The Newbridge on Tettenhall Road when he began having difficulty swallowing his meal. Witnesses described the pensioner as struggling, with reports noting he started to dribble and appear pale.
Staff at the carvery quickly responded, attempting to clear his airway using abdominal thrusts and back slaps, but these efforts were unsuccessful. Paramedics arrived shortly afterwards to find Mr Foster at the back of the venue, near the carvery table, showing signs of distress including pale skin and blue lips, indicating cardiac arrest.
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Advanced life support was immediately administered by the emergency teams. The Midlands Air Ambulance crew also attended, using forceps to extract what was described as a piece of meat blocking his airway.
Despite the rapid medical intervention, Mr Foster could not be resuscitated and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post mortem examination determined the cause of death as asphyxia due to choking on food, with contributing factors including his age and ischemic heart disease.
During the inquest, Mr Foster’s son described his father as an independent man who was still driving and living alone after his wife’s passing. Although Mr Foster had some medical conditions, he had no known difficulties with swallowing. The son’s only observation was that Mr Foster had few teeth.
Coroner Joanne Lees concluded that the death was accidental, occurring as an unintended consequence of an everyday activity. The conclusion was formally recorded on 29 July.
The community mourns the loss of Mr Foster, remembering him as a cherished family man whose sudden death highlights the importance of prompt response in choking incidents.