Parents of Berkshire woman who died from carbon monoxide poisoning considering winding down charity

  • ITV News Meridian's Ciaran Fitzpatrick has spoken to Katie Haines' father

The parents of a Berkshire woman who died from carbon monoxide poisoning say they are considering winding down a charity they set up to raise awareness of the dangers.

Katie Haines was 31 when she drowned in a bath at her Wokingham home after breathing in carbon monoxide from a leaking boiler. It happened in 2010 - a month after she got back from her honeymoon.

Since her death, her parents have been using the Katie Haines Memorial Foundation to encourage more people to have audible alarms.

However, her father, Gordon Samuel said tireless campaigning for better servicing of appliances and more alarms in homes has taken an emotional toll on their entire family.

Gordon Samuel said: "You cannot imagine the dynamics, how it's changed our family.

"It's taken an emotional toll, I have to remain detached and we think next year we will probably wind down the charity because we're now living in Italy we're not in the UK.

"But I think what we'll do is we'll carry on with the website and I won't do anymore interviews."

Katie Haines was 31 when she drowned in a bath at her Wokingham home after breathing in carbon monoxide from a leaking boiler. Credit: Family handout

Around 200 people are hospitalised with carbon monoxide poisoning each year according to NHS figures.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service says they are being called out to more and more instances of carbon monoxide leaks.

Graham Kewley, Group Manager, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Service, said: "The last four years we've seen an increase in the number of times that we are being called out to carbon monoxide related incidents, be that from residents in their own homes who have an alarm that has actuated that is causing them some concern.

"Our recommendations would be that everyone has a carbon monoxide alarm in their property to alert them to any potential faults or problems with carbon monoxide from either fuel burning appliances, their boiler or other heating systems."

Experts say people should always get appliances serviced annually by specialist engineers, as it could be the difference between life and death.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the NHS

  • headache

  • dizziness

  • feeling sick or being sick

  • feeling weak

  • confusion

  • chest and muscle pain

  • shortness of breath

Causes of carbon monoxide poisoning

The NHS says common household appliances used for heating and cooking can produce carbon monoxide if they are not installed properly, are faulty, or are poorly maintained.

These include gas boilers, gas cookers and clay ovens, gas or paraffin heaters, wood, gas and coal fires and portable generators.

What to do if you think you have carbon monoxide poisoning

If you think you might have carbon monoxide poisoning, the NHS says:

  • stop using appliances you think might be making carbon monoxide if you can

  • open windows and doors

  • go outside

  • get medical advice as soon as possible – do not go back into the affected building until you have got advice

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