Boy, 14, poisoned after eating yew tree berries on park stroll

A 14-year-old boy died from poisoning after eating yew tree berries and leaves during a walk in the park with his father, an inquest has found.

Benn Curran-Nicholls collapsed and was rushed to hospital a few hours after his daily walk through Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury, Manchester last September.

An inquest heard Benn, who had severe autism, enjoyed climbing the yew tree they passed on daily therapeutic walks, and his father was oblivious to the risks from eating the tree’s berries.

Coroner Andrew Bridgman has now issued a report about the dangers of eating yew tree berries, and critcised the "illogical" decision to not issue a public health warning in the wake of Benn’s death.

“On the morning of September 18, 2022, Benn and his father went for a walk in Fletcher Moss Park where, among other things, there was a yew tree that Benn liked to climb”, said the coroner.

“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.

“Interestingly neither was, in his evidence to me, Manchester City Council’s Neighbourhood Manager for Environmental Health aware that yew trees were poisonous.   “Later that day at about 6pm Benn suddenly collapsed.”

The coroner said yew tree poisoning in humans is rare but "a number of cases had been reported”.

The inquest was told of talks after Benn’s death between the council and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), when a decision was taken not to alert the public.

“We agreed at present that there was probably a risk of doing more harm than good from any comms put out, we would be very concerned about unintended consequences from comms messages, e.g. highlighting the risk of harm which may in turn provide a source for people to self-harm as a potential route for suicide”, an email said.

UKHSA concluded of a health warning: “We wouldn’t recommend issuing this at present on public health grounds.”