Bristol University student from Uckfield dies suddenly in gym

Henry Best, from Uckfield, had just completed a workout at PureGym with his girlfriend when he complained of feeling faint and suddenly collapsed.

A coroner's court heard how she carried out CPR on him and medics used a defibrillator - but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

An inquest concluded that Henry had an undiagnosed heart condition and had died of natural causes. 

Speaking after the case, Henry's sister Hannah Best said the family wanted lessons to be learnt to make it safer for people using 24-hour gyms.

She said: "It is heartbreaking to lose your loved one in a place that you perceive as very safe.

"The pain we have felt is immense and if we can prevent one more family going through this then that is what we would like."

Henry and Hannah Best on Brighton Palace Pier (Image: SWNS)

Henry collapsed an hour into his workout at Harbourside gym in Bristol at around 11.30pm on January 10 this year.

The University of Bristol music student had just completed a workout with girlfriend Holly Jones.

In a statement read to the inquest, Holly said: "I’d picked up a yoga mat, and as I turned around Henry said he felt really faint.

"He looked really pale, and then fell on his front to the floor.

"His nose was bleeding and he started shaking, but appeared to still be breathing.

The emergency services were called but Henry soon stopped breathing and Holly noted she could no longer feel a pulse.

Paramedics arrived at at the gym 11.36pm but did not manage to gain entry until 11.39pm.

Henry was pronounced dead around an hour later at 12.40am.

His family highlighted safety issues including no-one being able to find or use the defibrillator that was on site, as well as the time it took for paramedics to get into the gym once they arrived.

Paramedic Katherine Shearwood told the court that after observing CCTV footage, she did not feel PureGym security measures had slowed her reaching Henry.

An autopsy concluded that Henry likely died from arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy - sudden heart failure.

His family also raised concerns that the gym had been unstaffed at the time of the incident, despite being registered as staffed on their website.

PureGym regional manager Steve Collins told the court that at the time the gym had considered the presence of cleaning staff as the facility being "staffed".

Avon coroner Dr Peter Harrowing said he did not consider the gym being staffed or unstaffed as a contributing factor to Henry's death.

Since Henry's death, PureGym no longer considers cleaners to be "staff" and have relocated unlocked defibrillators and first aid kits to more visible locations.

The company said it has since introduced measures to highlight an emergency button in all gym facilities.

His mother Dr Louise Best, in a statement on behalf of the family, added: “Had someone else collapsed in the gym on that day, I do not hesitate to believe that Henry would have used his skills in first aid to help them."