Inquest into death of Benedict Blythe, 5, postponed

The inquest opening into the death of a young boy who died after having an allergic reaction at school has been postponed and might not be held until July 2025.

Benedict Blythe, 5, collapsed at Barnack Primary School, between Peterborough and Stamford, in December 2021 and later died in hospital.

The family's lawyer, Turan Hursit, said she did not know if the family would attend the inquest, as they felt "exceptionally traumatised", but added they would prefer things were "done properly" - even if that meant a delay to the inquest date.

Benedict was allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, sesame and chickpeas. The cause of his anaphylaxis is still unknown.

The first day of evidence was initially scheduled to take place on Thursday at Cambridgeshire Coroner's Court, but complications meant it could not go ahead.

Cambridgeshire County Council said it was changed to a pre-inquest review hearing to "deal with some procedural matters that have arisen" and no evidence would be heard.

Area coroner Elizabeth Gray said the earliest it would now take place was 30 March next year, but it could be as late as 30 June.

The hearing was expected to last seven days over a two-week period. Another pre-inquest hearing is set to take place on 30 October.

Representatives from North West Anglia Foundation Trust, Barnack Primary School, the East of England Ambulance Services, the Department for Education and British biscuit maker McVities, were at Thursday's hearing in person or remotely.

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