A coroner has issued a stern warning about home safety after a 16-month-old girl died was strangled by window blind chord that she had been caught in while playing with a toy vacuum cleaner.
An inquest heard how angel-faced Bronwyn Taylor was in the conservatory when she got her neck caught inside a beaded cord loop at her grandparents' home and fell over on April 2.
The inquisitive youngster suffered catastrophic injuries and was found by her grandmother, retired nurse Shirley Taylor, 66, who desperately tried to resuscitate her.
Ambulance crews dashed to the house in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, after receiving a 999 call at 3.30pm and rushed her to hospital.
But Bronwyn suffered a cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead when she arrived at Royal Stoke University Hospital.
A post-mortem found she died as a result of strangulation via a window blind, an inquest at North Staffordshire Coroners Court heard.
Assistant coroner David James described the death as an 'utter tragedy' and implored parents to ensure their blinds are safe.
Recording a conclusion of accidental death, he said: 'I can see plentiful use in me asking, imploring, advising, stressing to landlords, homeowners, parents, grandparents and local authorities, the importance of double-checking and ensuring all window blinds and fitments are safe.
'If they are not, or are suspected of not being, the blinds must be modified to make them safe or be replaced.
'Everything must be done to reduce or eliminate the risk of such tragedies as this from occurring again.
