A 22-year-old was killed after she was struck by a falling tree while out on a dog walk with two friends, an inquest heard yesterday (July 19).

Shannon Owen from Theale, near Reading died on March 11 in ancient woodland off the Thames Path in Whitchurch on Thames.

She was sitting on a log next to a rope swing when she was hit by a tree trunk around one metre in diameter and 20 metres in length.

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One of her friends was on the rope swing at the time of the incident, but the swing was attached to a different tree to the one that fell.

Her friend was knocked off the rope swing by debris from the tree trunk.

The inquest heard that the tree showed signs of discolouration and may have been rotten.

The 22-year-old’s cause of death following a post-mortem was given as multiple injuries.

Ms Owen worked as a NHS administrator and had a younger sister who was on a facetime call to her when she was struck by the tree.

Her sister, in a statement read out to Oxford Coroner’s Court, described her as ‘not just an older sister but a best friend.’

The air ambulance, paramedics, police and the fire service all attended the scene in Whitchurch-on-Thames.

The incident occurred at around 3.45pm and due to the remote location, the first responders took around 40 minutes to arrive on scene.

But despite resusciation efforts, there was nothing that could be done to save Ms Owen and she was prounounced dead at around 5.05pm.

Detective constable, David Hughes told Oxford Coroner’s Court that there were “no criminal charges in this case.”

He added: “We do not believe there were any suspicious circumstances surrounding Shannon’s death.”

But Ms Owen’s family did raise concerns at the inquest about the safety of the woodland where the accident occurred.

Landowner Richard Hazel gave a witness statement that was read out at Oxford Coroner’s Court.

He explained that he was deeply shocked and saddened by Ms Owen’s death and had since removed the remainder of the trunk of the tree that fell.

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Mr Hazel added that he had invested in signs with the message ‘private woodland’ to prevent walkers from going off the public footpath.

Oxfordshire’s head coroner, Darren Salter ruled the death as an accident.

He said: “Shannon Owen attended Hartslock Woodland near the Thames footpath with two friends on March 11 for a dog walk.

“At approximately 3.45pm, Shannon Owen was struck by a tree trunk which broke off and fell from a nearby tree causing multiple injuries and her rapid death.”