Barmaid, 52, strangled when her pyjamas got caught on oven in ‘extraordinarily bad luck’ after making bacon sandwich
A BARMAID was killed when her pyjama clothes got caught on an oven door and strangled her after she made a bacon sandwich, an inquest has heard. Jackie Michelle Cottrill, 52, was found by her nephew Josh Brocklebank after she died in a stroke of “extraordinarily bad luck”. At Preston Coroner’s Court on Wednesday Dr […]
A BARMAID was killed when her pyjama clothes got caught on an oven door and strangled her after she made a bacon sandwich, an inquest has heard.
Jackie Michelle Cottrill, 52, was found by her nephew Josh Brocklebank after she died in a stroke of “extraordinarily bad luck”.
At Preston Coroner’s Court on Wednesday Dr James Adeley said that he had “never come across such an unusual case” in his 20 years as a coroner.
Jackie had gone downstairs in her home to make Josh a sandwich on the morning of Sunday, January 24, reports LancsLive.
He returned to bed but at 2pm he found his aunt collapsed by the oven door.
A post mortem examination revealed no signs of disease or natural death.
Her death has been ruled as an accident after her pyjama top became stuck in the door and strangled her.
Dr Adeley said: “It is very unusual that someone who was fit and well managed to suspend themselves accidentally from the oven door.
“What appears to have happened is that for some reason she has fallen and caught her pyjama top on the lower handle of the oven door.
“I can’t explain how she ended up in this position, it’s a very unusual case. In my 20 years of doing this I have never come across this happening.”
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Jackie’s daughter, Sarah Ramsdale attended the court with her brother, Adrian Macfarlane.
Ms Ramsdale said: “Only she knows how it happened.”
The coroner said: “Something has occurred that has caused Jackie to get her pyjama top caught and through extraordinarily bad luck she has died.
“She died at her home address due to the entanglement of her clothing with an oven door handle.”
Friends described her as a “happy and sociable person” who worked hard in her job as a barmaid at Queen’s Park Club.
Her daughters told LancsLive: “She knew everything about everyone and was never shy with a bit of gossip.
“Her wonderful sense of humour endeared her to everyone she came into contact with and it is a great testament to her nature that she formed so many long-lasting relationships over the years.
They added: “There wasn’t a pub in Blackburn where she hadn’t pulled a pint; she even worked alongside her daughters in the Last Orders pub.
“Being as sociable as she was, she never saw this as work but as a chance to spend time with her friends and make new ones.
“Blackburn has lost a true character and the town, pubs and games nights will never be the same without her.”