A former lifeboat coxswain died after choking on food at a Saundersfoot nursing home.

William Thomas Morris from St Davids suffered from age related dementia and had been a resident at the Brookland nursing home for 12 months, Pembrokeshire coroner Mark Layton heard on Thursday.

On November 12th last year the former coxswain of St Davids lifeboat, who also served in the merchant navy during the Second World War, was eating a dinner of bacon, egg, sausage and tomato, when nurse Pushpavally Pulikiyil Gobi spotted he was having difficulty swallowing his food.

She asked if he was okay and, after he failed to respond, she shouted for help and began slapping him between his shoulders to try to dislodge the food.

Attempts by staff to dislodge the food failed.

The inquest heard how Mr Morris was very independent and had never previously experienced any problems eating at the home.

Mr Layton recorded a narrative verdict.

“The deceased died as a result of an acute obstruction of the airways due to food aspiration,” he said.