Car enthusiast couple, 67 and 70, died from carbon monoxide poisoning after trying to reverse classic Mercedes into a protective plastic bag in their garage for the winter, inquest hears

• William Reid, 67, and his partner Kathryn Workman, 70, were poisoned by fumes
• Mr Reid had been reversing their Mercedes Benz into a protective plastic bag
• The incident occurred at their home in High Seaton, Workington, Cumbria 

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A couple who were car enthusiasts died from carbon monoxide poisoning after reversing a classic Mercedes Benz into a protective plastic bag, an inquest heard.

William Reid, 67, and his partner Kathryn Workman, 70, were overcome by fumes in the garage near their home in High Seaton, Workington, Cumbria.

Post-mortems found Mr Reid had died from poisoning by carbon monoxide, while Mrs Workman died by hypoxic brain injury due to poisoning by the toxic fumes. 

During a two-day inquest in Cockermouth, Cumbria, a court heard Mr Reid had collected and restored classic cars for years before the fatal incident on October 22, 2017.

William Reid, 67, and his partner Kathryn Workman, 70, died from carbon monoxide poisoning after reversing their classic Mercedes Benz into a protective plastic bag in their garage in High Seaton, Workington, Cumbria

He had recently acquired a Mercedes from the United States and opted to store the vehicle in a large plastic bag to protect it during the winter months. 

The retired lorry driver attempted to reverse it into the bag with the help of Mrs Workman while in their garage located below road level at the bottom of a slope and attached to the house next door. 

However, Mr Reid was overcome by carbon monoxide fumes – which is odourless – and became unconscious, an inquest heard.

Mrs Workman entered the bag to help her partner but was also affected by the fumes, although she managed to crawl back out and call emergency services.

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She was initially told to keep away from the area by a call handler due to the risk of carbon monoxide intoxication.

While Mrs Workman was on the phone, confusion about what was happening in the garage led to the operator then advising her to get as near as possible to her partner and try to treat him.

Mrs Workman tried to wake Mr Reid but was unable to and shortly after stopped responding on the call, an inquest heard.

North West Ambulance Service paramedic Ben Sayner was first on the scene near the couple’s home following a dispatch at around 12pm.

Mr Sayner explored the property but due to the unusual location of the garage, it was not until his partner arrived that they discovered the unconscious couple.

Mr Reid, who had purchased the Mercedes from the United States, had been reversing the vehicle into a large  bag when he was overcome by the fumes. His wife then entered the bag to help her partner but was also affected by the fumes. Pictured: The couple with their Mercedes 500 SL at Silloth Vintage Rally in 2007

He said: ‘We ripped the bag open and there was a very strong smell of fumes so we ran out.’

Paramedics opened as many doors as they could before going back into the garage to rescue Mrs Workman, although Mr Reid was deemed to be too far into the bag to reach without breathing equipment.

Mrs Workman suffered a cardiac arrest and had to be taken by ambulance to hospital but died two days later.

It was not until the Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service arrived that emergency services were able to get to Mr Reid, who was removed from the bag and treated but was pronounced dead at the scene at 1.13pm. 

Detective Sergeant Martin Hodgson, who investigated the incident for Cumbria Police, said the bag was one you would ‘definitely struggle’ to tear open.

Transcripts of the calls made between the emergency services and Mrs Workman were read out and revealed the operator had advised Mrs Workman to try to get as close to her partner as possible and lie him on his back. 

However, an investigation carried out by the ambulance service found that the operator’s decision had been ‘accepted as reasonable’.

This was because it was felt they could not have known this would place Mrs Workman in a hazardous environment due to the confusing language used to describe the situation.

The report read: ‘A number of errors were made during the initial 999 call.’

Coroner Simon Ward said Mrs Workman told the handler she was going back into the bag to help her partner of her own initiative.

He added: ‘I’m satisfied she would have still tried to help Mr Reid irrespective of the instructions of the call handler.

‘Mrs Workman was aware she may become unconscious.

‘My view is she would have still tried to help him and that’s a credit to her dedication to their relationship.

‘Mrs Workman would have done all she could to help Mr Reid irrespective of her own safety.’

Mr Ward said that while confusion around the circumstances of the incident and the location of the casualties meant a delay in emergency services arriving at the scene, it was unlikely either of them would have survived.

He concluded Mr Reid died as a result of an accident while recording a verdict of misadventure for Mrs Workman. 

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