• Helen Peploe suffered fatal heart attack and died 48 hours after incident
• Her partner tried to save her life by attempting Heimlich manoeuvre
• In run-up to incident Neil Whitcher said food at restaurant was 'to die for'
  
• He told inquest staff at restaurant told him to escort her to the lavatory
• Restaurant manager said her partner had not at first said what was wrong
• He said they were taken to bathroom after Mr Whitcher asked to be
• He also said a waiter phoned an ambulance immediately

By Jaya Narain

PUBLISHED: 03:37 EST, 4 October 2013 | UPDATED: 18:37 EST, 4 October 2013

A woman choking to death on a piece of lamb chop was asked to move because she was ‘upsetting’ other customers in a curry house, an inquest was told.

Helen Peploe, 56, began coughing violently when part of her mixed kebab became lodged in her throat.

As her partner, Neil Whitcher, desperately tried to dislodge the food using the Heimlich manoeuvre, he claims staff told him to take her to the toilet.

Miss Peploe, a charity worker, lost consciousness in the  restaurant, suffered a heart attack and died 48 hours later in hospital.

An inquest heard the couple had gone out for a meal at  the Royal Balti House, Bolton, on July 5.

Mr Whitcher, 50, had enjoyed a meal there before, but said the food served this time had been poor quality.

‘The lamb was all fat and gristle – it was disgusting,’ he said. ‘I didn’t like it so took it out of my mouth but she said she would try a piece.

‘She went to spit it out but it slid down her throat.

‘She began to projectile vomit and was being sick on the table so I began to bang on her back like I had been shown in first aid training …then one of the waiters told me to take her upstairs because she was upsetting other guests.

'I took her to the bathroom and she was still coughing.

‘Then the waiter came in and asked if there was anything he could do. I asked if he had rung an ambulance and he said “No”, so I told him to ring one.’

Mr Whitcher, a former lorry driver, added: ‘When I was on the phone to the ambulance they told me to put her on one side but by then her lips had gone blue.’

The manager of the restaurant, Mohammed Iqbal Bhuiyam, denied claims the couple had been ushered to the  bathrooms and said they had been treated with care and attention.

He said a waiter had phoned  for an ambulance immediately and the couple were only shown upstairs because Mr Whitcher had asked to go to the bathroom.

He added: ‘We could see she was in some distress but [Mr Whitcher] just asked where the bathroom was.

‘Within three minutes one of my colleagues told me I needed to come to the toilet because he had called an ambulance.

‘I went upstairs and she was in the ladies’ toilet with this man and he was talking to  paramedics who were giving him advice.’

The hearing was told the  restaurant did not have a trained first-aider present on the night Miss Peploe choked but had since appointed one.

Peter Yates, who investigated the restaurant on behalf of the coroner, said the Royal Balti House had done nothing wrong, as it was under no obligation to medically treat non-employees.

Coroner Alison Mutch recorded a verdict of accidental death.