Mother dies of food poisoning at Greek holiday restaurant

A healthy woman died from food poisoning while on a family holiday in Greece after just one mouthful of uncooked chicken.

Natalie Rawnsley, 37, was on holiday last August with her husband and two young sons when she fell ill, an inquest heard. Westminster Coroner’s Court heard Ms Rawnsley, from Harpenden, Herts, rapidly deteriorated after eating at a hotel restaurant in Corfu.

The fit and healthy triathlete died from E-coli poisoning after blood clots formed all over her body, the coroner was told. Her husband, Stewart Rawnsley, said when his wife cut open her chicken, it “oozed red blood”. He added: “She replaced the chicken with a different piece. She had a mouthful of the other piece of chicken.”

She complained that evening of feeling unwell, but had not said anything specific about how she felt ill. She was later taken to hospital, but died after about 36 hours.

The coroner recorded a verdict of death by the accidental consumption of E-coli infected chicken.