A grandmother choked to death on steak while on holiday in Spain with her husband, an inquest heard.
Ceri Ball, 74, suffered the ‘unnatural death’ while eating at a restaurant with her husband Glyn, 77.
Her family said the couple booked a meal out in the coastal town of Peñíscola near Valencia when Ceri ordered a steak – and choked within seconds.
An inquest into Ceri’s death was opened at Gwent Coroner’s Court by area coroner Rose Farmer.
The hearing was told a provisional post mortem revealed Mrs Ball had died from asphyxiation, obstruction and choking.
Ceri’s daughter Lisa Lisseman, 54, said her parents had been in Spain for a few months before the tragedy struck.
She said: ‘My mum and dad have a home from home out in Spain. They’d been there a few months and were due to come home next week.
‘They’d gone out, had a lovely day and went out for a meal. Mum took a mouthful and it got stuck in her throat.
‘Dad said she was unconscious in seconds and everyone tried to help her. The waiter tried to help her, and someone phoned an ambulance.’
Ceri, of Rogerstone, Newport, South Wales, was rushed to Comarcal de Vinaròs hospital.
Doctors desperately tried to save her but her body had been starved of oxygen and she died the following day on October 17.
Lisa said: ‘They got the food out 20 minutes later and restarted her heart. They tried to keep her on machines overnight for me and my sister Helen to get over to Spain and we didn’t make it.
‘Dad was there on his own, and they basically said to Dad her brain was too damaged. He said his goodbyes and left.’
Paying tribute, Lisa said: ‘Our beautiful mum, wife, grandmother (Gigi) died in the most tragic of circumstances.
‘She was our matriarch, she was the queen, she was opinionated, but she cared about everyone. We are heartbroken.
‘If something happened to someone else, she would be the first to help them, arranging a charity day and cooking for them. She was so selfless.’
The family has thanked charity The Repatriation Services Trust set up by the parents of Tom Bassett who was killed by a drink driver in Dubai in 2017.
They have now set up a fundraising page to raise some money for the trust founded by Tom’s parents Linda and Steve.
Lisa said: ‘They’ve been so amazing. I contacted Steve, and he asked, “What can we do? What can we help with?” and they’ve taken that financial strain from us.
‘Without them all of dad’s savings would have been wiped. It is difficult to put into words how much their support meant to us all and we want to help them continue in their selfless quest.’
The inquest was adjourned until 10am on July 23, 2026 and a full post mortem is set to be carried out.
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