‘No quality of life’: Tragedy of mum whose three children died in Bridlington fire

Sharon Hudson had to be comforted after telling Hull Coroner’s Court that her daughter, Samantha, had been starved of oxygen after she and her three children were pulled from their smoke-filled house in Bridlington, East Yorkshire.

The youngsters - William Beal, nine, Antony Fothergill, five, and Maddie Hudson, three - died after they were overcome by smoke and fumes.

The inquest heard that paramedics and firefighters battled to save the three children and their 27-year-old mother after they were rescued from the property last November.

Paramedic Simon Leeson fought back tears as he told the court that he was the first on the scene and he decided to work on the mother as she was showing signs of life.

After he gave evidence, Mrs Hudson asked him: “How long do you think that she wasn’t breathing for? Because the quality of life now is no quality of life.”

Mr Leeson said he was unable to answer that question.

Mrs Hudson added: “How long was she starved of oxygen? She will never be Samantha again. It just seems to me Samantha should never have been brought back.”

She was comforted by a member of the public in the gallery and the hearing was adjourned for a few minutes.

Earlier, Mr Leeson told the court: “Out of the four patients, I decided Samantha was the one to be seen first. The children were not showing signs of life.

“At that time Samantha had a pulse, her chance of survival was greater out of the four patients so therefore she was seen first.”

Mrs Hudson described the young victims as a happy and well-loved.

She described William as a “loving and cuddly boy”, while Antony, known as AJ, was described as a “tough little lad who stuck up for his elder brother”. Maddie liked to dress up but enjoyed the “rough and tumble” with her brothers, the court was told.

Their mother spent months in hospital before being moved to a rehabilitation centre near Goole where she continues to receive treatment. She was unable to attend the funeral of her children.

The inquest is expected to conclude tomorrow.