A MELKSHAM Oak pupil, who had a severe dairy allergy, died in the centre of Bath after eating a kebab which she didn't realise had yoghurt on it, an inquest has heard.

Chloe Gilbert of Martinslade, Seend, was out with a friend she had met in Melksham when she was taken ill while walking through the Southgate Shopping Centre on Sunday, March 5. Despite desperate attempts to save her, the fifteen-year-old was sadly pronounced dead at the Royal United Hospital later that afternoon.

An inquest held into her death at Avon Coroners Court on Friday (16 June) revealed that dozens of bystanders rushed to the artistic teen's aid before the emergency services arrived and one even administered her epipen, which she carried around with her in the case of a reaction.

By the time PC David Hayhurst and his colleague PC Young from Avon and Somerset Police arrived on Dorchester Road shortly after 2.58pm, they saw four paramedics attempting to revive Chloe.

In a statement read out at the inquest, PC Hayhurst said: "I spoke to one of the paramedics who told me she had anaphylactic shock which had turned into a cardiac arrest. There was nothing I could do so I went to speak to her friend Phoebe who gave me Chloe's medical details which was that she had a milk allergy and asthma.

"I later returned to the group of members of public who had helped and established that they saw Chloe become unwell and that they had seen someone shaking on a bench outside of a shop and when they ran over to her, they saw stuff coming out of her mouth."

Assistant Coroner Dr Peter Harrowing concluded that the death had been accidental and was caused by anaphylactic shock. Concluding he said: "Dr Cook's examination confirmed Chloe suffered an anaphylactic reaction to a dairy product within the kebab which she had eaten and eaten unwittingly. This is a very tragic loss of someone so young and someone who had a severe allergy. This was an accidental exposure dairy products to which Chloe was severely allergic to."

After the inquest Chloe's parents said: "Thank you to all the services that tried to help Chloe that tragic day. Also the shop workers near by, the members of the public and Chloe's friend who did everything she could.

"Our dear Chloe, a true angel, is loved and so dearly missed by us, her brother, all her friends and family. We take this opportunity to mention a couple of charities for the benefit of anaphylaxis sufferers: Allergy UK and Anaphylaxis Campaign."