THE owner of the Pontins holiday firm has appeared in court charged with corporate manslaughter after a woman died when an air conditioning duct fell on guests at a resort.

Eighteen people were injured at Pontins Brean Sands in Somerset when a section of the ceiling and ducting inside its entertainment centre called the Fun Factory collapsed in February 2019.

Wendy Jones, 68, from Hereford, spent six months in hospital following the incident before she died on August 4, 2019.

A short hearing at Bristol Magistrates Court today (Tuesday, May 6) confirmed the charges and the case will be heard at Bristol Crown Court on June 9.

Pontins' owner Britannia Jinky Jersey LTD was charged with corporate manslaughter over the same dates for organising activities in such a way that it exposed Wendy Jones to the risk of death from the collapse of the ventilation ducting, in gross breach of its duty to take reasonable care for the safety of Wendy Jones.

Stephen Bennison, 59, a self-employed contractor from Farington, Lancashire, was also charged with failing to conduct his undertaking, namely as a contractor carrying out sound-proofing work at Pontins Brean Sands between January 1, 2015, and February 21, 2019, in such a way as to ensure that members of the public, including Wendy Jones, were not exposed to risks to their health and safety.

Neither defendant enter a plea. Mr Bennison was granted unconditional bail.