Bridport teenager 'died after treatment delays' in Cambodia

Kit Mallinson had been travelling in the Cambodia after working as a Raleigh International volunteer in Borneo

The parents of an 18-year-old who died while travelling in his gap year said he was "badly let down" by Cambodian authorities.

Kit Mallinson, from Bridport, Dorset, was taken ill with pneumonia on a night bus journey to Siem Reap in December and died later in hospital.

An inquest into his death was told he was initially taken to a public hospital with inadequate facilities.

The coroner concluded the delay in treatment contributed to his death.

The inquest heard Mr Mallinson had been travelling in the country having already spent seven weeks as a Raleigh International volunteer in Borneo.

His parents said he had been found unresponsive and the bus company called for a private ambulance, but the crew refused to take him because they did not have his insurance documents, despite them being in his rucksack.

The hearing was told the British Embassy was not notified until the next day. He was then transferred to the private Royal Angkor International Hospital where he died in the early hours of 14 December.

'Gorgeous boy'

Coroner Rachael Griffin said Mr Mallinson had complained of a chesty cough in the days before his death.

She said toxicology tests showed he had taken both codeine and benzodiazepine sleeping pills, which taken together could have worsened his chest infection.

Recording a narrative conclusion, Ms Griffin said: "On the balance of probabilities, the delay in his medical treatment was contributory to his death."

His mother Serena said her son was on the "adventure of a lifetime".

"He was the most gorgeous boy. He was just adored by us all; he was kind, had a fantastic sense of humour. He was just a beautiful, beautiful boy.

"I feel he was let down so very, very badly by the Cambodian authorities and it's incredibly hard not to be able to hold them accountable in any way," she said.