Boy, 14, dies after eating poisonous berries during walk with his dad

The lad had been walking with his dad in Fletcher Moss Park (Picture: Shutterstock)

A teenage boy died after eating poisonous yew berries while on a stroll with his dad in Manchester, an inquest heard.

Benn Curran-Nicholls, 14, collapsed after a stroll alongside his father last September in Didbury and was rushed to hospital where he later died.

An inquest has now heard that Benn, who had severe autism, enjoyed climbing the yew tree they passed on daily therapeutic walks, and his father was unaware of the risks of eating the tree’s berries.

Coroner Andrew Bridgman has since issued a report about the dangers of eating yew tree berries.

He said: ‘Benn ate some yew tree berries and also some of the leaves. Benn’s father was not aware of the poisonous nature of yew tree berries/leaves, and so took no action.

He ate yew berries from a tree (Picture: Shutterstock)

‘Interestingly neither was, in his evidence to me, Manchester City Council’s Neighbourhood Manager for Environmental Health aware that yew trees were poisonous. 

‘No consideration had been given to putting up notices warning of the poisonous nature of the yew tree, and risks of eating its berries/leaves – neither at the entrances to the parks nor at the trees themselves.’

Yew trees and hedges are considered to be poisonous, with the berries and seeds of the plant containing higher levels of toxins than others.

Eating even a few berries or leaves from the yew tree can lead to death.

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