This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-30999629

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Nina Holmes Bulgaria death: High-strength drugs, inquest hears Nina Holmes Bulgaria death: Misadventure conclusion over drugs
(about 1 hour later)
A woman from Swansea died on holiday in Bulgaria after taking high-strength drugs, an inquest has heard. A Swansea woman died on holiday in Bulgaria after taking a drug she thought was cocaine, an inquest ruled.
Nina Holmes, 33, had been drinking with friends when she collapsed in the ski resort of Borovets on 3 February 2013.Nina Holmes, 33, had been drinking with friends when she collapsed in the ski resort of Borovets on 3 February 2013.
The group had "chipped in" to pay about £200 for five small bags of what they thought was cocaine from a club rep outside BJ's nightclub where she died. The group had "chipped in" to pay about £200 for five small bags of the drugs outside a nightclub.
The inquest in Swansea heard some of the group told Bulgarian police they had concerns about the powder. The drug ingredients remain a mystery but were responsible for the death, the Swansea hearing found as a conclusion of misadventure was recorded.
DC Paul Howells, the senior investigating officer from South Wales Police, said they were concerned because the powder was not a white powder as they'd expected but it was brown or green in colour and was grainy. "I am satisfied that five small bags of powder were purchased from a person called Stella for a sum equivalent to some £200," ruled the Swansea and Neath Port Talbot Acting Coroner Paul Bennett.
"Precisely what it contained is unclear. Nina thought she was taking cocaine."
A pathologist said the cause of death was acute cardiovascular and respiratory insufficiency brought about by poisoning and drug toxicity.
DC Paul Howells from South Wales Police told the inquest there were concerns about the drugs purchased by the group, because the contents were not a white powder as they had expected.
'Panicking'
Instead, it was a brown or green colour and was grainy.
The inquest heard how Ms Holmes had said to other members of the group: "This stuff is strong" in the minutes before she collapsed.The inquest heard how Ms Holmes had said to other members of the group: "This stuff is strong" in the minutes before she collapsed.
Unconscious
The emergency services were called but despite efforts to resuscitate her she could not be saved.The emergency services were called but despite efforts to resuscitate her she could not be saved.
Other members of the group felt unwell after taking small amounts of the powder, the inquest heard. Ms Holmes's boyfriend, Dean Herbert, told the hearing that he did not want to buy drugs from the rep but wanted to buy it from another source.
Ms Holmes's boyfriend, Dean Herbert, told the hearing that he did not want to buy drugs from the rep, called Stella; he wanted to buy it from another source.
The holiday was his second trip to Borovets with Ms Holmes.
He told the acting coroner for Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, Paul Bennett, that he was at the bar when he saw she was unsteady on her feet.
He took her outside but she was already unconscious.
Paul Findlay, who fell ill in Borovets after taking the drugs, told the inquest that he still snorted the powder even though he didn't think it was cocaine.Paul Findlay, who fell ill in Borovets after taking the drugs, told the inquest that he still snorted the powder even though he didn't think it was cocaine.
He said: "I was given a small bag. It didn't look like cocaine. I felt it getting stronger and stronger. It was a lot stronger [than cocaine].He said: "I was given a small bag. It didn't look like cocaine. I felt it getting stronger and stronger. It was a lot stronger [than cocaine].
"At first I felt good on it, but as it got stronger and stronger, I started panicking a bit.""At first I felt good on it, but as it got stronger and stronger, I started panicking a bit."