Granddad died after taking drugs to keep up with younger workers at fairground
Nicholas MacBeath took a toxic mix of amphetamines and died of cardiac arrest at just 44, leaving behind 11 children and 10 grandchildren.
A 44-year-old granddad died after taking a toxic mix of drugs so he could keep up with the ‘younger and fitter’ men he worked with at a funfair, an inquest has heard.
Nicholas MacBeath, a father of 11 and grandfather of 10, suffered a cardiac arrest at his Manchester home in July 2019 and died the same day in hospital.
A post-mortem examination found he had taken a toxic mix of amphetamines and died from ‘major aspiration of food material’.
His daughter Sophie Burkhill told an inquest he had been enjoying his work at the fairground but ‘struggled’ with it.
Months earlier he had fallen off his motorbike and badly injured his back, leaving him with chronic pain.
In contrast, his colleagues were ‘young, fit, able to move things, be quick on their feet’, Sophie told Manchester Coroner’s Court.
She said her father had suffered serious mental health episodes and was anxious about an upcoming court date but could ‘see the light at the end of the tunnel’ and had been ‘back to his normal self’.
‘It was not intentional, he had taken [the substances] just to keep up with them. It was a hard job, he was working in the blazing sun.’
Recording a conclusion of death by misadventure, the coroner said: ‘He was feeling positive with his family, work and life.
‘He was working on fairgrounds, he was working extremely hard – taking into account the specific circumstances where he was working in extreme conditions, the weather, but also his mental and physical health.
‘He took these amphetamines to keep up with those around him and his
own mind with the hope he could do the job he was passionate about.’
Sophie added: ‘He was kind, he would do anything for anyone and you could ring him up at two in the morning and he would jump in his car and get there.
‘He loved everybody. He would do anything. He was definitely a family man.’
Nicholas’ partner, Tammy Thompson, said: ‘He loved nothing but to be at the centre of family, he was larger than life with an even bigger heart and also loved his motorbike and days out with his ‘biker family’.
‘He loved being at the coast, we were always going to retire there.
‘Work-wise his heart was always with the fairground. He loved the buzz of the build-up and working the Waltzer when he was younger.
‘His family, his parents were his pride and joy – our family life was chaos but now it feels so empty especially after a long, hard, busy day when we would love to just curl up and watch random films planning our lives.
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