Man choked to death in fairy cake eating competition

A student choked to death on fairy cakes after trying to fit as many into his mouth as possible as a prank, an inquest heard.

Adam Deeley and his friends had been attending the opening night of a photography exhibition when they began helping themselves to the leftover buffet.

One of the group then put three fairy cakes into his mouth at the same time before another member of the party did the same with four.

The inquest heard that in a bid to outdo his friends Mr Deeley, 34, then crammed five fairy cakes into his mouth.

Moments later he started choking and collapsed on the floor.

Steven Jenkins, who took part in the contest, told the hearing the cake eating challenge was 'impromptu'.

He said: 'There was a tray of cakes left over from the buffet - my friend put three cakes in his mouth so I tried four.

'They were small, only an inch and a half across but I struggled with four.

'My friend must have told Adam what we were doing and he put five cakes in his mouth.

'I could see that he was struggling to eat them but then he walked across to the toilets.'

He continued: 'I thought he was wanted to spit them out. I didn't know he was choking at that point.

'I only realised how serious it was a minute or two later when other people ran to help him.'

Another friend of Mr Deeley, bar manager Daniel Finzelbach, said: 'I realised Adam was in trouble as he walked towards the toilets - his body was convulsing.

'There was cake around his mouth and I could hear and see that he was trying to cough. I ran to the toilet and started slapping his back as hard as I could.'

The former life guard added: 'Then I tried the Heimlich Manoeuvre but he collapsed on the floor and I called for an ambulance.'

Tragic: Adam starting choking during the contest at the Monkey Cafe Bar in Swansea and was taken to hospital but could not be saved

Adam was rushed to hospital but died of choking due to the cake trapped in his airways.

The tragedy happened at the Monkey Cafe, a bar in Swansea, South Wales, where Adam worked part-time to finance his degree in graphic design.

He was not working on the night of the tragedy but had gone to the venue for the opening of an exhibition by a photographer friend.

The mature student was in the third year of his degree and planned to emigrate to New Zealand after graduating from Swansea University.

Adam was one-and a half-times the drink driving limit on the night of the tragedy.

The inquest heard Mr Deeley came from a 'close family' but his distraught parents, who live in Birmingham, were too upset to attend the hearing.

PC Stephanie Probert told the hearing that Mr Deeley's parents last saw their son in December.

She said: 'He was an only child and his parents Sandra and Robert were very proud of him. His parents last saw him in December when they visited him at university in Swansea.

'He went back to university in September 2005 with the aim of getting a degree so that he could emigrate to New Zealand.'

Recording a verdict of Misadventure, Swansea Coroner Phillip Rogers said: 'Clearly, any activity involving putting large amounts of food in the mouth is dangerous.

'It does not take me to say this sort of thing should be avoided.'