Award-winning joiner died after plasterboard fell on her during house renovation, inquest hears

A teenage joiner from Anglesey died after being crushed when plasterboard seemingly fell on her as a house was being renovated, an inquest opening heard today (Wednesday, 3 January).

Chloe Bidwell, 18, died on 20 December at Coed Celyn, Deiniol Road, Bangor. A paramedic had pronounced her death.

Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers had provided a provisional cause of death of compression of the neck, North West Wales assistant coroner Sarah Riley said at Caernarfon.

The inquest was adjourned for further investigations into the tragedy.

The coroner said :”The initial circumstances as reported to me are that Coed Celyn is a residential property undergoing complete renovation. It was therefore a building site at the time of Chloe Bidwell’s death.

“Shortly before 7.00 pm on 20 December North Wales police control room were made aware of a female now known to be Chloe Bidwell, not conscious or breathing, inside the hallway of the property with plasterboard appearing to have fallen on her back.”

An ambulance had arrived within minutes.

Police and the Health and Safety Executive are probing the tragedy of Chloe, who was also a rugby player in Anglesey, and described as a “very talented young lady.”

Previously a college had highlighted how the youngster had been a joinery apprentice with a student accommodation provider at Bangor and encouraged other female learners to consider a career in a trade.

She’d won the gold medal in joinery at the “Skills Competition Wales” national final.

The HSE has said : "We are aware of this incident and assisting North Wales police."

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