Metal drinking straw death: Coroner's warning after woman impaled through eye

Elena Struthers-Gardner, pictured right, was found in the kitchen by her civil partner Mandy, left.

Metal straws should be used with caution, a coroner has said, after a retired jockey died when she fell onto one which impaled her eye and caused a traumatic brain injury.

Elena Struthers-Gardner, 60, was carrying a mason-jar style drinking glass with a screw-top lid in her kitchen in Poole, Dorset, when she collapsed.

The 10ins stainless steel straw entered her left eye socket and pierced her brain.

Today a coroner said metal drinking straws should never be used with a lid that fixes them in place, and "great care should be taken" while using them.

The eco-friendly straws have increased in popularity as a replacement for single-use plastic straws as part of the fight against plastic waste.

Struthers-Gardner had been involved in the professional equestrian world until injury curtailed her career.

She had been involved in eventing, showjumping, dressage and even training National Hunt horses in Newbury, Berks. But she had been suffering with mobility issues since a fall at the age of 21.

Her wife of four years, Mandy Struthers-Gardner, said that Elena had multiple fractures in her spine and was now prone to falling over, collapsing "like a sack of potatoes at random intervals".

The straw damaged Struthers-Gardner's brain stem, which controls breathing, with the tip of the implement coming to a rest against the back of her skull.

Mandy, who was at home with her wife when the incident happened, called the ambulance, but Elena died in hospital the next day.

Dr David Parham, who carried out her post-mortem examination, said the cause of death was a traumatic brain injury, after the straw pierced 'through her left eyelid and left eyeball'.

Detective Inspector Wayne Seymour, who carried out an investigation into the death after Bournemouth police were called by the hospital, said the case was very unusual.

He said: "Medical staff had never seen an injury like that. They said it was unusual more than anything else."

Reading a statement to the inquest, Robin Struthers, Struthers-Gardner's brother, called for the coroner to comment on how easy it is to purchase metal straws, adding: "These straws can very easily be lethal."

Mandy Struthers-Gardner added: "I just feel that in the hands of mobility challenged people like Elena, or children, or even able-bodied people losing their footing, these things are so long and very strong.

"Even if they don't end a life they can be very dangerous."

Recording a conclusion of accidental death, assistant coroner Brendan Allen said: "There is insufficient evidence to explain how Lena came to fall.

"There was no alcohol present in the urine sample so intoxication did not contribute to the fall.

"Clearly great care should be taken when using these metal straws.

"There is no give in them at all. If someone does fall on one and it's pointed in the wrong direction, serious injury can occur.

"It seems to me these metal straw should not be used with any form of lid that holds them in place.

"It seems the main problem here is if the lid hadn't been in place the straw would have moved away."

Speaking after the inquest, Mandy Struthers-Gardner said: "I miss her very much, she was taken far too early.

"I hope this never happens to anyone else."