Curry killed husband as medic froze - Metro

Marcus Sweet suffered an allergic reaction to coconut cream (Picture: Alamy)

A man died after suffering an allergic reaction to his wife's home-made coconut curry, an inquest heard.

Marcus Sweet was given a small amount of coconut cream to taste by his wife before dinner – but minutes later he was complaining of a sore throat and couldn't breathe properly.

After taking Calpol and Beechams powder to ease the symptoms, the cleaning supervisor, 46, felt worse and his wife, Julie, called 999.

Mrs Sweet told a coroner: 'He was looking a bit clammy and I told him he was starting to scare me.'

A paramedic arrived at the couple's home within four minutes but Mr Sweet's airwaves were starting to close and he turned blue. Minutes later, he suffered a heart attack and died.

His family accused paramedic Vic Ward of failing to act properly to save his life in November 2011.

They claimed Mr Ward 'just sat there' and the paramedic admitted he was a 'bit like a rabbit in headlights'. Mr Ward said: 'This was one of the worst incidents I have ever attended in my 30 years of work. It was stretching the boundaries of my experience.'

The inquest heard that Mr Ward checked Mr Sweet's throat and breathing and concluded he was having a reaction to the coconut cream.

He treated it with an injection of the antihistamine Piriton, but Mr Sweet went into anaphylactic shock.

Mrs Sweet, from Bristol, said: 'His face had swollen and his tongue was sticking out. I looked at Vic Ward and just thought "do something".'

The inquest in Flax Bourton, Somerset, heard Mr Ward was suspended following the death but has since returned to work.

Recording a narrative verdict, Avon coroner Maria Voisin confirmed Mr Sweet suffered an allergic reaction.