We battled to save her but heat was too much

A CORONER said he could offer no explanation as to why a young mum doused herself with petrol before setting herself alight.

Lisa Boylan, 31, died almost instantly of high temperature burns in the horrific incident at Newry Beach, Holyhead, late on February 12 this year.

An inquest into her death heard yesterday how three men tried desperately to save the mum of five young children, but the intense heat was too much for them.

Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones commended them for their bravery, adding he was satisfied Mrs Boylan died of her own actions and had intended to die.

“I cannot think of any other explanation and I am satisfied there is sufficient evidence to show, beyond reasonable doubt, that Lisa Boylan did kill herself,” he told the hearing in Caernarfon.

Emergency crews were alerted at 10.50pm when Holyhead Port security guard Andrew Evans raised the alarm.

He told the inquest he was in a vehicle patrolling the area when he became aware of flames in a beach shelter and went to help.

Realising there was a person engulfed in flames, he had taken off his jacket and had tried to approach her but was beaten back by the flames. Mr Evans had also tried to fight the flames with an extinguisher.

Two other men, Lee Jones and David Cave, were the first on the scene. They were in a car on Newry Beach and had seen Mrs Boylan approach the shel- ter. Other than being dressed in nightwear, the two said they had no reason to believe she would do anything untoward.

Mr Jones said a few minutes after seeing her pass the car they heard screaming and saw flames in the shelter and he and Mr Cave ran towards it.

“I could see there was nothing we could do,” he said.

Fire officer Michael Owen said Mrs Boylan had suffered extensive burns and the remains of a petrol can was found nearby.

Mrs Boylan, also known as Lisa Bach, had lived at Cybi Street, Holyhead, since December. Her housemate, Terry Bosowitz, said he had seen her that day and all seemed normal. After an evening meal she had told him she was planning to have an early night.

He added she had been discharged from hospital the previous day after fears that she may be trying to harm herself.

Members of Mrs Boylan’s family were at the hearing but made no comment afterwards.