Tragedy as bride-to-be kills herself after fiance dies of ‘flu’

Gwen Banting’s body was discovered in the kitchen of her flat in East Ardsley, near Leeds.

Her 27-year-old fiance, fitness instructor Craig Sweaton, had died in St James’s Hospital after being admitted with flu symptoms.

He and Gwen, also a fitness instructor, were due to get married next month.

Today Craig’s parents, Derek and Carol, paid tribute to him and the woman they said was “like a daughter” to them.

The Sweatons are also demanding answers from health bosses about the care their son received in hospital.

His death certificate says he died as a result of bronchopneumonia and multi-organ failure.

Pneumonia can be caused by swine flu, yet hospital bosses have confirmed that Mr Sweaton was not swabbed for it.

Mrs Sweaton, 49, from Stourton Grange, said: “I will fight until the day I die to find out if a swab could have saved Craig’s life. He was the happiest and jolliest person you could ever wish to meet.

“He was fit and healthy – he always ate the right food, he never smoked, he was at the gym every single day.

“That’s partly what is making all this so hard to come to terms with.”

Mrs Sweaton said there had been no sign that South Africa-born Gwen was planning to take her own life.

The 32-year-old was found when Mr Sweaton’s brother, Jamie, 24, broke down the door to her flat. He battled in vain to resuscitate her.

Gwen left a note which said she could not go on without her fiance and asked his family to look after a kitten the couple had recently bought.

Craig, a health, fitness and nutrition graduate from Leeds Metropolitan University, fell ill on December 24 with what appeared to be flu.

His condition failed to improve and after visiting his GP on December 29 he went to St James’s that day. He died in intensive care eight hours later.

Today a spokeswoman for the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said: “Mr Sweaton was extremely ill when he was brought into hospital.

He was diagnosed with a serious bacterial infection and immediate treatment was started.

“Sadly, the infection was overwhelming and he did not respond to treatment.

“He did not have a swine flu swab in that short time because the immediate priority was to treat his underlying condition.”