A pensioner collapsed and died after being stung on the head – by a BEE.
Tragic Vivek Nileshwar, 80, was attacked by the insect as he mowed the lawn outside his home on July 1, last year.
His wife Catherine initially pulled out the sting but 20 minutes later Vivek knocked on the kitchen window gasping for air.
After he collapsed unconscious Catherine desperately tried to revive her husband before paramedics arrived at the house in Four Oaks, West Mids., to take over.
However, he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Good Hope Hospital, in Birmingham.
At an inquest at Birmingham Coroner’s Court on Friday his devastated widow told how the tragedy unfolded when Vivek decided to do some gardening at their home after Sunday lunch.
Giving evidence Catherine said: “He came round and said: ‘Oh, I have been stung by a bee’ so I carefully pulled out the sting.
“You could see it was a bee sting. I knew what it was and I pulled it out.
“It wasn’t the first time he had been stung.
“Then he knocked on the window and said ‘I feel very odd, I think I’m going to collapse’.”
The inquest was told the retired metallurgist, who worked in the scientific study of metals, had been stung three times in the past with no signs of allergy.
The pensioner was also used to having bees around as his neighbours kept a hive.
A post mortem examination revealed he had been suffering with heart disease.
Birmingham coroner Aidan Cotter said it was possible, but unlikely, the sting triggered the collapse.
He said: “I’m not saying it did not trigger it but to me it doesn’t sound very likely.
“We are never going to know. I’m satisfied the real cause was underlying heart disease.”
