Mum-of-seven dies after haircut

A mother-of-seven collapsed and died while she was having her hair cut at a Black Country salon.

Anna Bennington, aged 38, had been chatting and joking with the stylist moments before the tragedy.

The housewife had walked the short distance from her home in Nimmings Road, Halesowen, to Scarlett Hair & Beauty with two of her children. She had almost finished having her hair done when she was taken ill and stopped breathing. Paramedics were unable to resuscitate her.

Mrs Bennington died before reaching Russells Hall Hospital on June 18.

Salon supervisor Charlotte Rathbone had been cutting Mrs Bennington's hair before she collapsed.

She said: "I had seen her around but she had not been in the salon before, she came by the day before to book up.

"She seemed a lovely woman, she didn't stop talking and was obviously very proud of her children.

"She said she would have more if she could," she said.

"That's what made what happened all the more strange," added Charlotte.

"She was fine, talking and chatting away, didn't seem unwell or complain of being ill, but then all of a sudden just before I had finished her hair her head just flopped.

"Some people are saying she had a heart attack but the truth is no-one knows why or how she died.

"It is a tragedy and I feel so sorry for her husband and her children," she added.

A neighbour of the family, who did not wish to be named, said that the street had been left in shock by the devastating news.

"We couldn't believe it when we heard what had happened," he said.

"Anna kept herself to herself really, but always came across as being really nice. It's a tragedy," the neighbour added.

Black Country coroner Robin Balmain opened an inquest into the tragedy at Dudley Coroners Court earlier this week.

Mr Balmain said that a pathologist had so far been unable to find a cause of death and adjourned the inquest for further inquiries to be carried out.