A businessman died within minutes of being stung in the mouth by a wasp as he was eating ice cream, an inquest has heard.

The accident happened as Victor Leslie, 57, was clearing up after an end-of-summer barbecue with his family.

The inquest heard that Mr Leslie, a former European president of computer games giant Sega, died from asphyxiation after his tongue swelled up within minutes of being stung.

Today his widow Pat, 57, described how family and friends tried to save her husband. "A friend came out of the kitchen and said he [Victor] had been stung in the mouth as he had finished eating some ice cream," she said. "He had wanted to know if he should take some anti-histamine and I said he should straight away.

"Then he came out and he did not look well at all. His lips were beginning to swell. He came staggering out and then just fell over a plant pot."

An ambulance was called to the family home on the Isle of Wight while Mrs Leslie used artificial respiration and chest massage to keep her husband alive last Sunday. "But it was just too late," she said.

Mrs Leslie, paying tribute to her husband who had a son Damian, 24, and stepson David, 36, and three grandchildren, said: "Vic was a man who conducted his successful business interests with honesty, kindness and fairness. He would always put himself out to help others. He was just a lovely, kind man.

"I have had calls from his friends all over the world and everyone says what a wonderful, kind-hearted person Vic was. Everyone already misses him like crazy."

London-born Mr Leslie had been a taxi driver before setting up an amusement machine business in London. As the business grew, Mr Leslie spotted the potential for electronic games and contacted Japanese giant Sega, setting up

their first European operation, of which he became president. The firm is famous for its games consoles and characters such as Sonic the Hedgehog.

Mr Leslie quit the firm in 1992 and moved to the Isle of Wight, where he ran a amusement machine business, as well as being a partner in a north London taxi company.

It is not yet known whether Mr Leslie suffered an acute reaction to the sting known as anaphylaxis. The inquest was opened and adjourned to allow for further tests.