Published: Monday, 29th June, 2009 10:00am

Maxine died during scuba diving course

by Rose Harland

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A BROTHER has paid tribute to his hairdresser sister who died during a scuba diving course just one year after moving to Australia to start a new life.

Popular hairdresser Maxine Worthington, who ran Maxine"s Hair Salon in Sunninghill, had moved to Melbourne in December 2007 to start a new hairdressing business.

While in Australia she had fallen in love with fellow Brit ex-pat Ian Jones and Miss Worthington, 49, was holidaying with Mr Jones when she died during a scuba lesson in Perth on December 27, 2008.

Speaking last Thursday after Miss Worthington"s inquest at Windsor Guildhall brother Gary said: 'It took her 10 years to get out to Australia and she finally made it.

'Her boyfriend had bought her the lessons as a Christmas present, she"d gone diving before and she loved it.'

Despite being fit and healthy, during the lesson Miss Worthington was having trouble breathing and while standing in shallow water she collapsed and was taken to the Joondalup Health Campus in full cardiac arrest.

Her body was flown back to the UK for her funeral at Easthampstead Crematorium, Nine Mile Ride, Bracknell and her ashes are buried at Holy Trinity Church in Sunningdale.

Mr Worthington, 46, said: 'We couldn"t believe how many were at the funeral, it was a sea of people who were not only her clients but her friends as well.'

Miss Worthington"s cause of death was cardia arrhythmia, or an uneven heartbeat, due to coronary atherosclerosis and subclinical hypothyroidism.

Repeating the verdict of Evelyn Vicker, deputy state coroner for Western Australia, Berkshire coroner Peter Bedford said Miss Worthington died of natural causes.

He said: 'It could have happened at any time but the likelihood is that it was brought on by the dive.'