A mum died while appearing to choke during a competition to see how many marshmallows she could fit in her mouth.
Natalie Buss, 37, was declared dead after participating in a charity event at the Beddau Rugby Club near Pontypridd, in South Wales.
An inquest has heard she was competing with people to “fit the most marshmallows into their mouths” on Saturday, October 7, when she left the event via a corridor.
She was found having collapsed in the area and was seemingly choking, with attendees administering CPR until paramedics arrived.
Wales Online reported that, despite their best efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene, but doctors are yet to assign a cause of death.
Patricia Morgan, area coroner for South Wales Central, did not provide a provisional cause of death during a hearing at Pontypridd Coroners’ Court.
She told inquest attendees she had “reason to believe her death was unnatural in nature”.
The coroner adjourned the inquest to allow for further investigations and expressed her sympathies to the late mum’s family.
She said: “I take the opportunity to express my condolences to the family of Natalie Louise Buss at this tragic time.”
Ms Buss’ death prompted an outpouring of tributes from Pontypridd residents, with a host of floral displays left on the doorstep of Beddau Rugby Club.
A display from one resident remembered the “lovely lady” and added they were “awfully sorry” for her loss.
The rugby club also left a tribute to the mum in a touching Facebook statement that remembered her as a “very dear friend”.
A representative for Beddau RFC wrote: “The club and the Beddau community are heartbroken. On Saturday night, we lost a very dear friend who will be sadly missed.
“Everybody associated with Beddau RFC and within the community are nothing less than devastated at the weekend’s tragic accident and we struggle to comprehend the sense of loss people are feeling.”
The post added: “That said, we must acknowledge that our loss pales into insignificance in comparison to the loss of a lady who was a wonderful wife, mother, and daughter to what was an absolutely tragic turn of events.
“As a club we send out our sincerest, heartfelt condolences to all the family, the close friends, and to all those that this has so badly impacted.”
