Girl died of heart failure

The daughter of a Midlands headteacher who died after collapsing in a park while walking the family's pet dog suffered sudden heart failure, an inquest heard.

Emily Harrison, aged 16, daughter of Aldridge School head Tony Harrison, was in Sutton Park with her mother Joanna when she collapsed on October 12.

Miss Harrison had a sudden heart failure when she chased the pet spaniel as it ran away from her. Wolverhampton Coroners Court was told yesterday.

City coroner Richard Allen said: "As she was with her mother, a family dog that was with them bolted, and as she chased after it she collapsed. She was transferred by air ambulance to New Cross Hospital but was declared dead shortly after 6pm on the same day.

"It's my conclusion that the cause of death was a sudden cardiac failure, and I'm satisfied that this young lady died of natural causes."

Emily, of Middleton Road, Sutton Coldfield, was a sixth form pupil at Arthur Terry School close to where she lived. She had no history of medical problems.

She had just joined the sixth form to study four A levels and was planning to go on to university.

Her father Tony today thanked everyone who tried to help his daughter after she collapsed including members of the public, paramedics and air ambulance crews.

He added the whole family, including Emily's two elder brothers Ben, 26, and Matt, 22, were grateful for the support of friends and colleagues. He said: "I would like to thank everyone who has offered their kindness and support at this difficult time. It has helped a great deal with what was a sudden and unexplainable death and is something we are finding it difficult to come to terms with."

School head Christopher Stone has paid tribute to the teenager saying she was a "lovely girl" who wanted to make a real difference to people around her. She went to South Africa to help youngsters in the summer.

Following Emily's death her parents visited her school to read cards and pay tribute to their daughter.