Friends have paid tribute to the “beautiful vibrant” British woman who died after being stung by a wasp in a Costa Blanca restaurant.
Ingrid Dale, 67, is said to have gone into anaphylactic shock in front of pals at the bar in the coastal town of Moraira, 30 minutes north of Benidorm.
She died in an ambulance outside the Hill Top Sports Bar & Grill, around 2pm on Monday, after going into cardiac arrest before she could be taken to hospital.
On Wednesday, friends and well-wishers spoke of their heartbreak over widowed Ingrid’s freak death as it emerged she was at a lunch to help raise funds for Ukrainian families when the tragedy occurred.
The expat, originally from Dereham in Norfolk, was less than a month away from her 68th birthday.
Fitness instructor Kimberley Marie Harrison revealed a Zumba class Ingrid would normally have been at on Wednesday would be held in her memory.
She said in a poignant tribute: “A very special lady left us yesterday so unexpectedly, so shockingly.
“As the strong, stoic, get on with it type of woman she was, she spent her last morning on this planet dancing Zumba with lovely people, having coffee in the sunshine with friends, studying Spanish with me, and then took herself off to a lunch to help raise funds for Ukrainian families.
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“The random acts of fate resulted in her being stung by a wasp which ultimately, due to an extreme reaction, she did not survive.”
She described her as a pet lover who was devoted to her family including her grandchildren and “lived life to the full”.
Kimberley added in a social media message posted alongside footage of Ingrid at Zumba the day she died: “I send my heartfelt condolences to her family.
"What a huge loss. Know she was having fun to the very last. Huge hugs to all those who have been deeply shocked and affected by this."
Gale Turp responded by saying: "We have lost one special lady. So dance your socks off ladies for our wonderful friend."
Expat Debra Soraya Williams wrote: “It’s just not going to be the same paddling out to sea without Ingrid.
“She was always game. I loved her attitude and zest for life.”
Philip Wendy wrote on social media: “She was a beautiful person. She will truly be missed.”
Yoga and dance enthusiast Arilda Hernaez Peacock added: “Such sad news. Bless you Ingrid. Carry on dancing in the Heavens.”
Police and paramedics rushed to the British-run bar-restaurant but confirmed emergency responders were unable to save the expat.
A spokesman for a regional government-run emergency coordination centre said: “The alarm was raised around 2pm local time on Monday.
"The woman who died was on a terrace of the bar-restaurant where the tragedy occurred.
“She was stung and suffered a severe reaction to the venom in the sting. She went into anaphylactic shock and died at the scene.”
A spokesman for the Civil Guard said: “Officers attended the restaurant where the incident occurred after a British woman aged 67 was stung by a wasp.
“She was being assisted by emergency medical responders on the restaurant terrace when they arrived.
“She was subsequently transferred to an ambulance where she died after going into cardiac arrest.
“A doctor certified her dead around 3pm local time on Monday."
The results of the autopsy, believed to have been carried out on Tuesday, are not expected to be made public as is customary in Spain.
The most severe reactions to wasp stings are referred to as anaphylaxis.
It occurs when your body goes into shock in response to wasp venom.
A source close to the ongoing investigation said ahead of the post-mortem: “It appears she went into anaphylactic shock but it will be up to a forensic expert during an autopsy to confirm this.”
