Apprentice joiner, 18, who beat male colleagues to win top award died when unsafe stack of boards fell on her at work

By AIDAN RADNEDGE, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 16:30, 9 July 2026 | Updated: 16:52, 9 July 2026 A teenage apprentice joiner who won a high-level prize died when an unsafe stack of boards toppled on to her at work, an inquest heard. Chloe Bidwell, 18, died after being crushed when plasterboard fell while she was renovating the house for university students. A judge said the company's risk assessment 'wasn't worth the paper it was written on' as workers had not seen it. Keen rugby player and skydiver Chloe was described as a 'very talented young lady' and won gold medal in joinery at the 'Skills Competition Wales'. In a victim impact statement, her mother Clare Stephenson-Brown said her daughter was 'full of life, energy and determination' and was 'about to travel the world and begin a journey to becoming a firefighter'. 'The fact that she was by herself in those final moments is something which causes us unbearable pain,' she said. Police and the Health and Safety Executive probed the tragedy which happened at the Varcity Living student accommodation in Bangor, north Wales. Chloe had been a joinery apprentice with the student accommodation provider and encouraged other female learners to consider a career in a trade. Her family were in court when David Horrocks, 45, of Felinheli, North Wales, admitted as a director failing to discharge a health and safety duty. Chloe Bidwell, 18, died after being crushed when plasterboard fell while she was renovating the house for university students Keen rugby player and skydiver Chloe was described as a 'very talented young lady' and won gold medal in joinery at the 'Skills Competition Wales' Her family were in court when David Horrocks (pictured), 45, of Felinheli, North Wales, admitted as a director failing to discharge a health and safety duty Varcity Living, of Bangor, pleaded guilty to on or before December 20 2023, failing to ensure the safety of employees including Chloe Bidwell, and non-employees. Father-of-three Horrocks, was given a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, and his company fined £50,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 costs. District Judge Gwyn Jones said there had been a 'systemic failure' of risk assessments and that Chloe should not have been on her own. The teenager was renovating a house at Coed Celyn in Deiniol Road, which was being upgraded for students, when she was found dead. Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers had provided a provisional cause of death of compression of the neck, north west Wales assistant coroner Sarah Riley said at Caernarfon. Chloe won the gold prize in the Welsh building skills joinery awards at Coleg Menai for her carpentry work in 2023, beating young male students. At the time she said: 'I've really enjoyed the whole experience. 'I love my apprenticeship and building houses and have been able to create bespoke pieces through these competitions. It's taught me so much. District Judge Gwyn Jones said there had been a 'systemic failure' of risk assessments and that Chloe (pictured) should not have been on her own The teenager was renovating a house at Coed Celyn in Deiniol Road, which was being upgraded for students, when she was found dead Chloe won the gold prize in the Welsh building skills joinery awards at Coleg Menai for her carpentry work in 2023 'Winning a medal is incredible - not just because of the effort I've put in, but also the commitment from the colleges in preparing me. 'My apprenticeship workplace at Varcity Living has been supportive throughout the whole process too. 'To begin with, competing in a male dominant category was quite nerve wracking, but the guys were all lovely and supportive. 'However, it would be lovely to see more females and familiar faces competing.' Chloe was also a keen sportswoman and played for Llangefni rugby club and loved skydiving. The coroner said: 'The initial circumstances as reported to me are that Coed Celyn is a residential property undergoing complete renovation. 'It was therefore a building site at the time of Chloe Bidwell's death. 'Shortly before 7pm on December 20, North Wales police control room were made aware of a female now known to be Chloe Bidwell, not conscious or breathing, inside the hallway of the property with plasterboard appearing to have fallen on her back.'