A NEW bride was killed when a gas boiler which needed repairs belched out deadly fumes, an inquest heard.

Oxford University press officer Katie Haines was having a bath, unaware a cloud of deadly carbon monoxide gas was forming above her at her home in Wokingham.

The 31-year-old stood up and was almost instantly overcome as she breathed in the gas, collapsing and hitting her head as she fell.

The inquest in Reading yesterday was told the boiler should not have have been used until it had been repaired or replaced.

Richard Haines, 37, came home from work on February 18 last year and found his wife’s body.

Gas engineer Matthew Hopkins had inspected the boiler on November 17, 2009.

He said inadequate ventilation and poor installation meant it should be classified as “at risk”, meaning it should not be used until repaired or replaced.

But Mr Haines said he was not told of any danger and he believed they could continue to use the boiler until the work was done.

A post mortem found the level of carbon monoxide poisoning was below that normally associated with loss of life. The cause of death was given as immersion in water.

Coroner Peter Bedford recorded a narrative verdict. He said he would be sending a report to British Gas and the Health & Safety Executive with recommendations about how to classify faulty gas appliances.