Flesh-eating disease killed man

Carole and Tony Williamson had been married for 26 years

The owner of a removal firm died days after a flesh-eating disease spread through his body from a small cut on the inside of his right arm.

Tony Williamson, 60, from Seaford, East Sussex, thought he had a stomach upset in the days leading up to his death.

An inquest heard he did not realise the cut was infected until he collapsed while working in the south of France and was rushed to hospital.

East Sussex coroner Alan Craze recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Transporting furniture

He said the cause of death was "very, very rare" and he had only come across one other in his 10 years as a coroner.

The hearing in Eastbourne was told Mr Williamson collapsed while transporting furniture from a client's home in London.

He died on 10 July after suffering a heart attack in hospital.

A post-mortem examination carried out in the UK found he died from necrotising fasciitis (NF) and blood poisoning.

Dr Keith Ramesar, who carried out the tests, said he could not tell for certain why Mr Williamson had contracted the disease.

But he said that some people, including those with diabetes or malignant tumours, were more susceptible than others.

I believe the chances of saving him in what was effectively 48 hours before his death would have been very, very slim indeed Alan Craze, coroner

Mr Williamson had undergone surgery to have a tumour removed after being diagnosed with lung cancer six months earlier.

Dr Ramesar said the infection had been caused by bacteria penetrating deep layers of Mr Williamson's skin which had caused severe inflammation, eating away at his tissue.

He said the first signs of illness were not necessarily at the site of the infection.

NF has a mortality rate of 70% to 80%, he said, and only very early, aggressive treatment could save a patient.

Tom Pilkington, 54, who went with Mr Williamson on the trip to France, said he thought he had been suffering from a stomach bug.

He had noticed the cut on his arm when they left the UK on July 4 but said Mr Williamson's health had been "fine".

But by the time they arrived in Lyons on 7 July Mr Williamson was vomiting and slurring his words and his arm was now "somewhat inflamed".

On the next leg of the journey he became delirious and he collapsed in Cannes on 9 July.

Carole Williamson said small cuts were not unusual in her husband's work

Carole Williamson, his wife of 26 years, told the inquest she had noticed a "miniscule" cut on her husband's arm before he had left for France but this was not unusual in his line of work.

Describing him as "hardworking" and "stubborn" she said that Mr Williamson, a smoker and drinker, did not like going to the doctor and always had to be coerced into receiving medical attention.

Mr Craze said he was unable to say whether Mr Williamson could have been saved if he had received treatment earlier.

But he added: "I believe the chances of saving him in what was effectively 48 hours before his death would have been very, very slim indeed."