Dad dies on family holiday after getting stuck between bed and wall of caravan

07 November 2023 , 05:57

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Rob Channelle died on a family caravan holiday (Image: Keela Wachon)

A beloved dad-of-two died after getting wedged in the gap between his bed and the wall of the caravan he was staying in on a family holiday.

Robert Channelle, 34, was staying at Twitchen House Holiday Park in Woolacombe with his fiancée Nicole and their two young sons, as well as other family members to celebrate the couple's 11th anniversary. After going for a walk and then enjoying a night out in the clubhouse, Robert and Nicole went to sleep in separate rooms.

The following morning he was found stuck between his bed and the caravan wall of the caravan and could not be revived. An inquest at Exeter Coroner's Court heard on Monday that he was unable to be revived and passed away. It has been confirmed that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.

Rob Channelle with his partner Nicole and their two young children, Theo and Jacob (Keela Wachon)

A post-mortem examination stated the cause of his death was suffering from a seizure - related to the brain tumour he'd been battling for four years - that caused him to slip off his bed into a tight gap which restricted his ability to breathe, exacerbated by being overweight. The inquest noted that the therapeutic dosage of his anti-seizure medication was lower than it should have been and that Robert had been drinking, Devon Live reports. However, he was not drunk at the time of his death.

In a statement read out during the inquest, Nicole told how they had been together since 2011 and had been planning to get married in 2023. She described Robert as having once been a 'naturally very strong man' who enjoyed weight lifting and loved his job working as an air space operative in Bristol where they lived.

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However, he had to stop working after being diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2018 which was treated with surgery that caused him to lose his sight. It initially affected his physical and mental health but his children helped him get back on track again. Just two years later, it was confirmed his brain tumour had progressed to stage three and required further surgery.

A bone infection bone proved difficult to treat and then in March 2022, he suffered a bigger than usual seizure less than 24 hours after being electrocuted at home by the plug of their rowing machine. Scans and blood tests came back normal but his anti-seizure medication was increased. However, Nicole said he had never looked quite the same since. Health professionals concluded in statements that it was 'very unlikely' his fatal seizure was caused by the electrical shock creating further seizures.

Recording a conclusion of natural causes, Alison Longhorn, area coroner for Exeter and greater Devon, said: "He had been diagnosed with a brain tumour four years previously and suffered from seizures as a result. On the night of his death, he suffered a further seizure causing him to slip in bed and fall between the bed and a tight gap by the wall." Addressing his family, she said: "It must have been awful losing him like this way after fighting his brain tumour for so many years."

Following Robert's death, a fundraiser was set up on behalf of Nicole and the children - Theo, then aged two, and 11-month-old Jacob - to support them and help them cover his funeral costs. It raised nearly £5,500 from just over 200 donations.

Family friend Keela Wachon described how his death had left everyone 'completely shattered' and described Mr Channelle as a 'brilliant dad' and a 'down to earth' person who is sorely missed. She said: "You would always know that he was there; he had a big presence. Everyone knew about it if Rob was there, he was a brilliant bloke. He did as much as he could do for the boys. I think Nicole is also a fantastic mother, she's amazing. That was her life; it was his life. Their life was each other."

Anita Merritt