'Perfect' boy, 2, died after fireplace fell on him

A toddler died after an unsecured fireplace surround fell on him while he was playing at home, an inquest has been told.

Preston Coroners' Court heard two-year-old Bradley Shipstone-Walsh died after pulling on the fireplace surround at his home in Burscough, Lancashire, on 29 September 2021.

Bradley died at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool later that day.

Laura Nash, assistant coroner for Lancashire, recorded a narrative conclusion that the little boy had died from traumatic injuries consistent with having been struck by a fireplace surround that had not been secured to the wall.

At the hearing on Friday, Nash said the cause of Bradley's death had been multiple organ failure, haemorrhagic shock and massive blunt trauma.

His parents, bricklayer Joshua Walsh and carer Natasha Shipstone, were at the hearing.

Addressing Bradley's family, Nash said: "I have heard that Bradley was an amazing little boy.

"He was energetic and boisterous and he kept his parents on their toes, but that he was perfect. I am sure he is greatly missed."

Nash said the fireplace surround was leaning against the chimney breast wall.

When Bradley pulled on it, it fell forward.

The inquest heard no-one else was in the vicinity at the time.

In her report, Nash said the fireplace surround would have been leaning more than 30-40mm but less than 175mm.

She said there was a "degree of instability to the fire surround".

The fire surround, together with the back plate and hearth, was purchased and installed at the family's home in Orrell Lane in around January or February 2021.

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