Go-karter strangled with scarf in freak accident

An inquest has heard how a first-time go-karter was strangled to death with her own scarf in a freak accident.

Suzanne Cornwell, 18, died when the scarf caught in the engine .

Britain's Daily Mail newspaper reported that Ms Cornwall was one of six people invited to the out-of-hours race by employee Andy Kivlin.

But Mr Kivlin did not give any safety advice, tell her to wear overalls and remove the scarf, the inquest was told.

There was also evidence that a DVD on safety was broken.

The out-of-hours race was not authorised.

Former worker Christopher Hamilton told the inquest that during normal hours if they saw people with long hair or baggy clothes they would be told to tuck it in.

Of the night, he said: "I believed everyone had been karting before and was confident in what they were doing. Andy was the man in charge."

Cambridgeshire Raceway Volunteer manager Paul Shinn said helmets were compulsory and customers had to sign a disclaimer before they raced the karts.

He said Mr Kivlin did not have permission for the out-of-hours race.

The Daily Mail reported that Mr Shinn received a phone call from Mr Kivlin on the night of the accicent.

"Andy told me he had f***** up. Andy sounded upset but not hysterical."

Ms Cornwall was rushed to hospital after the scarf got caught in the rear axle of her go-kart on December 11, 2009.