Man in coma after wasp swarm attack

A man was fighting for life today after a swarm of wasps attacked him.

David Tull, 52, suffered a severe allergic reaction to the stings as he worked on a 95-year-old neighbour's garden in Colchester.

He remained in a critical but stable condition in Colchester General Hospital after the attack yesterday. Doctors have put him into an induced coma while he tries to recover.

Penny Upton, a friend of the homeowner Esme Barrett, went to Mr Tull's aid before paramedics arrived. She said today: "He was using an axe, then said, 'Ouch' and suddenly there were an awful lot of wasps. His throat swelled and he could not breathe but I have a couple of friends with adrenaline pens so I knew about these things and could tell the paramedics what was wrong. They were here within five minutes.

"He is big and strong so came to help with heavy work but now it is touch and go and they don't know if he is going to make it."

It is thought the wasps were a particularly aggressive European type. Mrs Barrett said: "We are very concerned and hope he will recover very soon."

Her daughter, Margot Kazimirska, revealed pest controllers from Colchester council came to the property in the summer to clear wasps.

She said: "They cleared a nest in the roof and we thought there was another at the end of the garden. I feel some disappointment one was left but they probably could not find it.

"You feel a bit responsible but we did not know it was there. We are so glad Penny was there otherwise he would have certainly died."