Helpless onlookers see man choke to death in Thatcham

Carers battled to save the 44-year-old resident of Thornford Park Hospital during breakfast at Kingsland Café on Tuesday

SHOCKED witnesses have described how they watched helplessly as a man choked to death in a Thatcham cafe.

Witnesses told how his three carers battled in vain to save the victim, a 44-year-old resident of Thornford Park, a medium secure hospital for the mentally ill on Crookham Hill, Thatcham.

The man, a regular at Kingsland Café in the Kingsland centre, was having a full English breakfast at about 10am when staff suddenly heard chairs falling over.

One of the café's managers, Marilia Gomes, said: “I was serving a customer when I saw it happen. His carers did the Heimlich manoeuvre, but he was still in his chair. At first it didn't seem as if they were panicking.

“I called an ambulance, but they managed to make him throw up and we thought he was going to be okay.”

The assistant manager at Scope, Vivian Tuttle, who also saw it happen, said: “They then sat him down and I thought he was fine, but the next minute, the bloke was behind him again doing the same thing. We could see there was no hope.”

Minutes later, the ambulance arrived and the man received further treatment.

He was then taken to Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, but he did not recover.

The owner of Powell's Opticians, Sam Powell, said: “It was horrible, I am still in shock.”

Thornford Park Hospital spokeswoman Caroline Walker said: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with the resident's family and friends at this difficult time. Everyone at the hospital is shocked and saddened. It was a tragic unexpected death and we await the outcome of the post mortem and coroner's inquest.”

Thames Valley Police spokeswoman Lucy Billen said: “The man was taken to hospital in Basingstoke where he later died. There is no indication of third party involvement.”

She said that they were, however, still investigating the incident.