Published: Saturday, 27th June, 2009 10:00am

Inquest: carbon monoxide detector was 'too high'

by Emma Harrison

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A MAN who spent Christmas Eve sleeping in a campervan in a lorry park died from carbon monoxide poisoning, despite having a detector.

Douglas Maynard, 62, was overcome by poisonous fumes despite the presence of a carbon monoxide detector just yards away.

Mr Maynard was found dead in his campervan in Downmill Road, Bracknell on December 28 last year.

An inquest at Windsor Guildhall on Thursday last week heard that his friend Johnny Freshwater had become concerned after being unable to contact Mr Maynard for four days.

Mr Freshwater visited the lorry park on December 28 and upon receiving no answer, looked through a window of the vehicle to see Mr Maynard laying motionless. He alerted two nearby PCSOs who called out paramedics who pronounced him dead at 2.36pm. Scenes of crime officers and detective sergeant Lisa Everard confirmed that there were no marks on the deceased"s body and no signs of a struggle in the vehicle. They estimated that Mr Maynard may have died on the night of Christmas Eve or Christmas morning.

The inquest heard that a pipe at the back of the van"s electricity generator - which had previously been repaired by Mr Maynard - had come loose, leading to a build up of carbon monoxide in the vehicle.

It was also noted that the van had a working carbon monoxide detector on a wall, but this was unfortunately too high to detect any of the fumes. A post mortem examination revealed that Mr Maynard"s legs, lips and feet were pink and there was also a pinkish discoloration to parts of the brain. The cause of death was given as carbon monoxide poisoning.

Coroner Peter Bedford gave a verdict of accidental death, saying: 'Mr Maynard liked his independence and lived in a well kitted out Winnebago-type vehicle at the lorry park.

'There was no suggestion of any third party involvement and I readily accept the evidence that he did carry out his own repairs on the campervan.

'He had no intention of putting himself at risk, but sadly the pipe that would have taken carbon monoxide fumes away from the vehicle had come loose - the awful irony is the presence of a carbon monoxide detector.'

Mr Maynard"s family were made aware of the inquest but chose not to attend.