Parents waited 50 minutes for paramedics to arrive when their son, 38 collapsed and died in Boots days after he developed blood clot in his foot, inquest hears

• Mark, 38, developed venous thromboembolism (VTE) as a result of immobility
• He was pronounced dead at the scene when medics arrived on April 14 last year

A man’s parents waited 50 minutes for paramedics to arrive as their son lay dying at Sheffield’s Meadowhall Shopping Centre, an inquest has heard.

Steven and Elaine Bennett had to watch in agony as first-aiders at Boots battled to keep Mark Bennett alive with CPR during the wait.

Mark, 38, who had developed venous thromboembolism (VTE) as a result of immobility following an injury to his foot, was pronounced dead at the scene when medics arrived on April 14 last year.

An inquest at Sheffield’s Medico-Legal Centre heard yesterday how Mark was struck down with the condition just 10 days after a fall at a London Underground station.

Mark, who had an IT career specialising in Apple and Microsoft products, was taken to Meadowhall by his parents for a day out while he was recovering from his fall.

Mark, 38, had developed venous thromboembolism (VTE) as a result of immobility following an injury to his foot

As they waited outside Boots, Mark called his dad from inside, saying: ‘Dad, come quick, I feel funny.’

Giving evidence at the inquest, Steven Bennett said: ‘I couldn’t see him and the next thing I knew he was in one of the aisles – he had already collapsed.

‘He had staff all around him and they were giving him CPR, the staff were tremendous. Boots staff phoned for a paramedic straight away but were told it could be half an hour.

‘I shook my head in disbelief at that point but they actually took 50 minutes. I always wonder if they had turned up earlier whether they could have saved his life.’

The tragedy unfolded on April 4 outside boots at Sheffield’s Meadowhall Shopping Centre

Describing his son, Steven added: ‘He was a very caring character – he had a lot of time for people. He was a very intelligent young man. He was very sensitive and had a lot of empathy for people. He was hard-working and methodical in his thinking. He was a very nice person to know.’

Coroner Stephen Eccleston heard how on 10 days earlier on April 4 Mark tripped on some steps at a Tube station and landed ‘awkwardly’, injuring his right foot.

A&E doctor Akash Mittal, who treated Mark at London’s Royal Free Hospital in the early hours of April 5, told the inquest Mark’s foot showed signs of a fracture and tissue damage and had a an air cast boot fitted to the foot.

However, crucially, it was decided that Mark posed no risk of developing deep vein thrombosis and so blood-thinning drugs were not prescribed.

While Mark was recovering at his parents’ home in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, he complained of pain at the back of his leg.

He attended Grimsby’s Dianna, Princess of Wales Hospital, however, an orthopedics doctor diagnosed ‘minor swelling’ and recommended a further assessment three weeks later.

The inquest was told that during his assessment at hospital in London Mark was scored as posing ‘zero’ risk of developing VTE when measured against a scale known as the Plymouth VTE Risk Score.

However, Dr Mittal admitted that since news of Mark’s death emerged he had changed his practice, ‘re-emphasising’ the risks that injuries such as Mark’s posed.

The inquest continues.

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