An Isle of Wight beekeeper died after suffering a severe allergic reaction having been stung on the ear by one of his own bees, an inquest has concluded.
55-year-old Alan Martin Ransom, from Godshill, was carrying out beekeeping duties at a solar farm in Blackwater when the tragic incident occurred on 10th May last year.
Emergency services – including the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance – rushed to the scene off Birchmore Lane, as reported by Island Echo at the time.
Mr Ransom, who worked for Island Roads as a civil engineer, was taken to St Mary’s Hospital and placed on life support. He died 5 days later on 15th May 2024.
At the time of the incident, the Isle of Wight Beekeepers Association said:
“We are very sorry to hear of the recent death of one of our members. Our thoughts are with his family at this time”.
A Section 9C inquest carried out by Senior Coroner Caroline Sumeray determined that Mr Ransom had removed or failed to wear a beekeeper’s protective hat when he was stung on the left ear. He suffered a rapid and catastrophic anaphylactic reaction.
His cause of death was hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy caused by anaphylactic shock as a reaction to a bee sting.
His Majesty’s Coroner Caroline Sumeray has recorded a conclusion of misadventure.
Alan Ransom was born in Epsom, Surrey.
Why has it taken so long. It’s a disgrace
And why would the police park like that? I get it no common sense and not their field
So the Ambulance could get past.
To die 5 days after being stung by a bee has to raise questions with the type of support he was receiving at St Mary’s.
The poison would have long left his system by that point. Any deteriorating effects on organs should have been recognised and picked up way before his demise.
This is sadly recklessness by the staff to not see his health dropping so to a point that he lost his life.
I suspect he went into a coma due to the anaphylaxis and was on life support, if there was no sign of life perhaps they made the decision to switch the machine off. I have also had an anaphylaxis from a bee sting but I got lucky and I am here to tell the tale, I doubt very much that it was any fault of the hospital staff.
Southampton Hospital would have been a better option.
That’s the problem with no Bridge or Tunnel
Ambulances only take patients to St Mary’s,
there are no choices.
But the real recklessness must lie with his having not worn or removed his protective equipment. As a beekepper he would have known the risks. It is very sad but not really fair to blame the medics for being unable to resolve a crisis that need never have happened.
You are spot on, so many people take short cuts
to save time and sadly sometimes by doing so
accidents happen.
Always better to take precautions.
You’re talking bollocks. The staff did even they could
A year and a half to enter a verdict. The Coroner should be so ashamed of her record of delay. If she had a shred of integrity she would resign