BBC presenter Lynda Shahwan died an “unnatural death” after she was discharged from hospital following a car crash where her vehicle overturned, a coroner has said.
The mum-of-two died aged 53 while on holiday in Vancouver, Canada, this summer with her family following a car accident. She had been visiting the country with her husband Sharif and their two sons when the tragedy occurred.
An inquest has heard how on July 15, Lynda Sian Shahwan, 53, was a passenger in a car with family members when she was involved in a crash, which caused their vehicle to overturn.
Ms Shahwan, of Heath Way in Cardiff, was taken to Lions Gate Hospital in Vancouver and sustained a fractured rib, abdominal bruising, and pneumothorax. The court heard how she was discharged from hospital the following day but was unfit to fly home.
On July 19, her family were unable to get in contact with her and she was tragically found dead in her property. A month later, she was formally identified by her husband. The pathologist has given a cause of death as motor vehicle incident leading to peritonitis.
Coroner Alex Morse said it was an “unnatural death” and the inquest would need to be adjourned with a date to be fixed. The coroner offered his condolences to the family.
Lynda was described as a “very special person” by her colleagues at Radio Wales, who described the loss as “sudden” and something they “just cannot process”.
She served the corporation for more than 25 years and is remembered as the creative force behind one of the country’s most popular podcasts, Terry Walton’s Plotcast. She co-presented the show that explores and documents the joys of allotment life.
She was known to listeners as ‘The Lily from Caerphilly’. Devastated friends and colleagues paid tribute to Lynda in the wake of the sad news. Gardening expert and podcast host Terry said: “We pass our sympathies on to Lynda’s husband Sharif, their two sons and all of the family on the tragic and sudden taking of Lynda from us far too soon..
“My last two years of working with Lynda on the Plotcast were the most fulfilling and cherished broadcasting I have done. Our chemistry and her creative talent made every episode a gem of gardening knowledge. Such fun whilst still being very informative. We became true friends and after recording we would both relax and discuss many aspects of life.”
Veteran BBC broadcaster Roy Noble said: “Our feelings of condolence go to Lynda’s family, Sharif and the boys. It was a sudden, sudden loss to them and something we in Radio Wales cannot process. Her legacy will be always, always remembered.”
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Source: Mirror
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