Mother, 50, and her daughter, 17, die from carbon monoxide in burger van while decorating it for son’s birthday: He tells of his agony at finding pair dead ‘after starting petrol generator to keep warm’

• Leah Churchill and Brooke Wanstall were found dead in truck this morning
• Firefighters suspect they suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, son has claimed

A mother and daughter were found dead in a burger van this morning after they reportedly suffered carbon monoxide poisoning from generator fumes.

Leah Churchill, 50, and her 17-year-old daughter Brooke Wanstall were decorating the Meat ‘N’ Greet snack truck for a birthday celebration when they died.

Brooke’s brother, Tyla Wanstall, told KentOnline he found his relatives inside the truck after smelling fumes and says it was ‘obvious they were both dead.’

Tyla, who turned 26 today, says he is ‘heartbroken’ over their deaths and the fact that they spent their final moments ‘trying to put a smile on my face.’

Leah Churchill, 50, and her 17-year-old daughter Brooke Wanstall (pictured together) were decorating the Meat ‘N’ Greet snack truck for a birthday celebration when they died

Brooke’s brother, Tyla Wanstall,(pictured) said he found his relatives inside the truck after smelling fumes and claimed it was ‘obvious they were both dead’

Tyla was unaware that Leah and Brooke had gone down to the food truck site last night to prepare for his birthday surprise. 

‘They were decking the van out inside in balloons and bunting as a birthday surprise for me, like my mum would do at home every year,’ he told the newspaper. 

The 26-year-old suspects his mother turned on the petrol generator ‘without realising the danger’ so they could ‘keep warm’ while decorating.

He explained that they use the generator outside the van during working hours, but keep it inside at night because of ‘security reasons.’ 

He turned up at the food truck park around 8am today, opened the van doors and instantly smelled fumes. 

Emergency personnel were called to the scene and reportedly told him that the pair ‘likely’ suffered carbon monoxide poisoning.

Their deaths are expected to be passed on to the local coroner for a future inquest.

MailOnline has approached police and the coroner for comment.

Tyla suspects that Leah (pictured) turned on the petrol generator ‘without realising the danger’ so they could ‘keep warm’ while decorating

Leah (left) and Brooke’s (right) deaths are expected to be passed on to the local coroner for a future inquest

Leah was a mother of four. She leaves behind Tyla, daughter Ocean, 23, and a 12-year-old son, Sonny.

Tyla, who recently became a father himself, said his mother was ‘so kind and would do anything for anyone.’

He described his sister, Brooke, as a ‘live-wire with a huge personality.’ The teen had just completed her GCSEs and started working as a carer.

Tyla said Brooke ‘had her whole life in front of her’ and was scheduled to take her driving test next week. 

The family will hold a balloon release at Herne Bay beach tomorrow at 5pm in honour of the mother-daughter duo.

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