Gary Sims, 55, choked to death as he took part in the pickled egg eating contest at the Boar's Head Inn . A former Royal Marine  choked to death during a 'friendly' pickled egg eating contest in his local pub, an inquest heard. Father-of-two Gary Sims stopped breathing after stuffing three eggs into his mouth in a bid to win the challenge. The 55-year-old crashed off his chair and his eyes rolled back, prompting friends and staff to attempt the Heimlich manoeuvre, before ringing 999. Despite their best efforts Gary - known as Joe to his mates - suffered a cardiac arrest and died in the ambulance outside the Boar's Head Inn in Berkeley, Gloucestershire. The hearing heard the egg eating race was sparked after Mr Sims saw a friend buying an egg at the bar in June this year. He promptly bought six eggs, each costing around £1, and issued the challenge. Friend Alex Thackeray said: 'At 9pm a friend of his decided to buy pickled eggs, at which Gary issued a challenge, and more eggs were purchased. 'The two decided to have a race to see who could eat the quickest, with Gary putting all three in at once. 'He swallowed then took a swig with his pint to wash them down. 'I recall him trying to look at me directly before his eyes rolled in his head and he fell backwards. 'Initially it was believed he knocked himself out. Several of us picked him up and put him in the chair. 'It was very clear he was not breathing.' Gloucester Coroner's Court heard an ambulance was called immediately and a call handler issued advice over the phone. The friends tried to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre without success before attempting to unblock his airway with their fingers. They also performed CPR, which was then taken over by ambulance crew members. A second crew arrived, but further efforts to save him failed and was declared dead at 11.04pm. Fellow drinkers desperately tried to save Mr Sims by performing the Heimlich manoeuvre, before ringing 999. A post mortem examination found a 22mm-long piece of egg white lodged in his right airway. A blood test revealed at the time of his death he had 136 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood - the legal limit for driving is 80 milligrams. Mr Sims suffered a hypoxic injury due to shortage of oxygen to the brain, which led it to swell. Coroner Katy Skerrett concluded that his death was the result of an accident. She said: 'While drinking he entered a friendly competition or challenge with another drinker as to who could eat the pickled eggs the quickest. 'He started to choke and despite the efforts of his colleagues and paramedics, they could not save him.' Mr Sims, who lived in Berkeley, was also as a former contractor who had worked on the decommissioned power station at Berkeley for around five years.
Father-of-two Gary Sims was with friends in the Boar's Head Inn .
The 55-year-old challenged a friend to a pickled egg eating contest .
He bought six eggs, each costing around £1, for the 'friendly competition'
Mr Sims started choking after putting three eggs in his mouth at once .
Fellow drinkers attempted to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre to save him .
He died in the ambulance outside the Boar's Head Inn in Gloucestershire .
Coroner concludes that his death was the result of an accident .
Gary Sims, 55, choked to death as he took part in the pickled egg eating contest at the Boar's Head Inn . A former Royal Marine  choked to death during a 'friendly' pickled egg eating contest in his local pub, an inquest heard. Father-of-two Gary Sims stopped breathing after stuffing three eggs into his mouth in a bid to win the challenge. The 55-year-old crashed off his chair and his eyes rolled back, prompting friends and staff to attempt the Heimlich manoeuvre, before ringing 999. Despite their best efforts Gary - known as Joe to his mates - suffered a cardiac arrest and died in the ambulance outside the Boar's Head Inn in Berkeley, Gloucestershire. The hearing heard the egg eating race was sparked after Mr Sims saw a friend buying an egg at the bar in June this year. He promptly bought six eggs, each costing around £1, and issued the challenge. Friend Alex Thackeray said: 'At 9pm a friend of his decided to buy pickled eggs, at which Gary issued a challenge, and more eggs were purchased. 'The two decided to have a race to see who could eat the quickest, with Gary putting all three in at once. 'He swallowed then took a swig with his pint to wash them down. 'I recall him trying to look at me directly before his eyes rolled in his head and he fell backwards. 'Initially it was believed he knocked himself out. Several of us picked him up and put him in the chair. 'It was very clear he was not breathing.' Gloucester Coroner's Court heard an ambulance was called immediately and a call handler issued advice over the phone. The friends tried to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre without success before attempting to unblock his airway with their fingers. They also performed CPR, which was then taken over by ambulance crew members. A second crew arrived, but further efforts to save him failed and was declared dead at 11.04pm. Fellow drinkers desperately tried to save Mr Sims by performing the Heimlich manoeuvre, before ringing 999. A post mortem examination found a 22mm-long piece of egg white lodged in his right airway. A blood test revealed at the time of his death he had 136 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood - the legal limit for driving is 80 milligrams. Mr Sims suffered a hypoxic injury due to shortage of oxygen to the brain, which led it to swell. Coroner Katy Skerrett concluded that his death was the result of an accident. She said: 'While drinking he entered a friendly competition or challenge with another drinker as to who could eat the pickled eggs the quickest. 'He started to choke and despite the efforts of his colleagues and paramedics, they could not save him.' Mr Sims, who lived in Berkeley, was also as a former contractor who had worked on the decommissioned power station at Berkeley for around five years.
the pickled egg eating contest at the Boar's Head Gary Sims stopped breathing after stuffing three arrest and died in the ambulance outside the Boar's Head Inn in Berkeley, Gloucestershire. The after Mr Sims saw a friend buying an egg at the eggs, each costing around £1, and issued the tried to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre without efforts to save him failed and was declared dead at 11.04pm. Fellow drinkers desperately tried to Coroner Katy Skerrett concluded that his death was the result of an accident. She said: 'While