Pontins parent company charged over death of grandmother killed by falling air duct

Wendy Jones, pictured with two of her grandchildren, died after a visit to Brean Sands Holiday Park in Somerset Eighteen people were injured at Pontins Brean Sands, Somerset, when a section of the ceiling and ducting inside its entertainment centre, called The Fun Factory, collapsed in February 2019. Among them was grandmother Wendy Jones, 68. She spent the final six months of her life in hospital before she died on 4 August 2019. Pontins' parent company, Britannia Jinky Jersey, will appear in court next month. Pontins is part of the Britannia Hotels group. The BBC has contacted Britannia for comment. In addition, contractor Stephen Bennison, 58, from Farington in Lancashire, has been charged with an offence under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. A BBC News special report into the incident last year highlighted the concerns from a former employee about the installation of insulation on top of the ceiling and ducting in 2015. — Wendy Jones, pictured with two of her grandchildren, died six months after the ceiling collapse (Picture: Family handout)

The parent company of a popular holiday park company has been charged with corporate manslaughter after part of a ceiling collapsed onto guests.

Wendy Jones, 68, was among 18 people injured after an airduct fell from the ceiling of the entertainment area in Pontins’s Brean Sands resort in Somerset in February 2019.

She died in hospital in August of that year.

There were about 100 people in the ‘fun factory’ building playing bingo when the ceiling collapsed.

About 130ft (40metres) of structural ducting and ceiling sections fell to the ground, exposing live damaged electrics.

Police and the local council have been investigating the incident ever since, and earlier today the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised a corporate manslaughter charge against Pontins’ parent company, Britannia Jinky Jersey Ltd.

Eighteen people were injured at Pontins Brean Sands, Somerset, when a section of the ceiling and ducting inside its entertainment centre, called The Fun Factory, collapsed in February 2019. Among them was grandmother Wendy Jones, 68. She spent the final six months of her life in hospital before she died on 4 August 2019. Pontins' parent company, Britannia Jinky Jersey, will appear in court next month. Pontins is part of the Britannia Hotels group. The BBC has contacted Britannia for comment. In addition, contractor Stephen Bennison, 58, from Farington in Lancashire, has been charged with an offence under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. A BBC News special report into the incident last year highlighted the concerns from a former employee about the installation of insulation on top of the ceiling and ducting in 2015. — A huge section of the ceiling collapsed (Picture: Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue)

As well as this, Stephen Bennison, 58, of Farington, Lancashire, has been charged with failing to discharge general health/safety duty to a person other than an employee under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Both defendants are due to appear at Bristol magistrates court on May 6.

Detective Superintendent Roger Doxsey said: ‘First and foremost our thoughts are with the family of Wendy Jones. We have updated them of the CPS’ charging decisions.

‘This has been a complex investigation and we’re grateful for the support of Somerset Council and other partners to reach this stage.

‘We would like to remind the public that every defendant in the UK is permitted to a fair trial.

‘No commentary, materials or details should be published that could prejudice this court process while proceedings are ongoing.’

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Pontins parent company charged over death of grandmother killed by falling air duct

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