Man dies at Christchurch restaurant

AN elderly man died while eating at a Christchurch restaurant on Tuesday afternoon.

The circumstances surrounding the death of the customer, who was in his 80s, have not been confirmed amid reports he had choked on his food at Toby Carvery Hinton, off the A35 Lyndhurst Road, near Roeshot Hill.

Paramedics rushed to the eatery, along with police, after the alarm was raised shortly before 2pm.

A spokesperson for Toby Carvery Hinton said: “Very sadly, despite the efforts of the team and emergency services, a gentleman passed away when dining at the restaurant yesterday afternoon.

“The thoughts of the team go out to the family.”

A Dorset Police spokesperson said officers attended in response to a call from the ambulance service, reporting there had been a sudden death.

“There were no suspicious circumstances,” the spokesperson added.

Posts on a local Facebook page reported the restaurant’s assistant manager had tried in vain to save the man after he started choking.

One person posted: “That’s so very sad. Well done to the assistant manager for trying to revive the person. So sad for the family. So very sad to hear this.”