Inquest reveals beekeeper died of anaphylactic shock after being stung on ear

An amateur beekeeper originally from Surrey died of anaphylactic shock after being stung by a bee.

55 year-old Alan Ransom, who lived at Godshill, Ventnor, on the Isle of Wight, was stung on his left ear and passed away on 15th May 2024 at St Mary's Hospital in Newport, according to a written inquest by senior coroner Caroline Sumeray.

The inquest revealed that Mr Ransom, had failed to wear a beekeeper’s hat during handling, which led to the sting.

Ms Sumeray recorded the cause of death as hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy and anaphylactic shock and ruled the conclusion as misadventure. She noted that his death followed "pursuant to developing an anaphylactic reaction to a bee sting on his left ear, after he failed to wear a beekeeper's hat."

Mr Ransom, had been a civil engineer and had run a YouTube channel called “The Vectis Beeman” since July 2022. On the channel, he documented his journey as a hobbyist beekeeper, inviting viewers to follow his progress and his challenges.