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Iraq soldier's daughter chokes to death on a grape Last updated at 14:37pm on 6th March 2007
The daughter of a soldier serving in Iraq has died after choking on a grape.
Two-year old Katie Nicole Williams died after the fruit became lodged in her windpipe at her home in Weeton Army Barracks, near Preston, Lancashire.
The toddler is thought to have been at home with her family eating a bag of grapes when she began to have trouble breathing at around 4pm last Tuesday.
Paramedics were called and she was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Her father, Simon, who is a Lance Corporal, was serving with the 2nd Battalion The Rifles in Basra at the time of the incident.
Lance Corporal Williams, 27, was immediately flown home to be with his wife, Zoe, 33, and Katie's brothers, Guy, 12, Jake, nine, and Joshua, seven.
The couple, of Cosford Street, on Weeton Barracks, released a statement today paying tribute to their "beautiful little girl".
An inquest into the death has been opened and adjourned until a date yet to be fixed.
The family statement read: "Katie was a beautiful little girl.
"Whenever we would go to somewhere like the supermarket she would just start to chat to anybody. She was great fun.
"Katie was a daddy's girl and loved nothing better than getting muddy and dirty with her three brothers. Playing with dolls was not for Katie.
"We are obviously distraught at the sudden death of our beautiful daughter but we have taken great comfort from the many kind messages of support that we have received from so many people."
Lance Corporal Williams was based at the Shaat al Arab Hotel in the Iraqi city. After being told of the news, he was taken to the Basra Air Station and back home within 24 hours.
The inquest, before deputy coroner Michael Woosnam, heard a Home Office pathologist recorded the cause of death as asphyxia and inhalation of a grape.
The youngster had suffered from asthma, the inquest was told.
A funeral for Katie will be held on Thursday and the family have requested it should be in private.
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