A father of four died after eating a single mouthful of curry as he sat down to watch The X Factor.

Angus Myers said "That's got nuts in", before collapsing in front of his wife and 11-year-old son on Saturday night.

The 32-year-old mechanic suffered a suspected allergic reaction to a takeaway chicken tikka masala.

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His wife Marie tried to revive him but he was pronounced dead in hospital.

The 29-year-old student nurse said her husband of six years had asked staff at the Indian takeaway restaurant whether the curry contained nuts and was told that it did not.

She described how they sat down in the living room of their Carville, County Durham home to watch the X-Factor results when tragedy struck.

Today she was too upset to speak to the press, but earlier she told The Northern Echo: "He'd put our youngest to bed and he said 'We'll just get a takeaway', and I suggested an Indian.

"We decided what to have and he rang and asked if they have got nuts in. They said no.

"It was delivered and we sat down to watch the X Factor results. As soon as it touches his mouth he knows if it's got nuts in or not.

"He said 'That's got nuts in'."

Mr Myers was taken to The University Hospital of North Durham in Durham City but doctors were unable to save him.

Mrs Myers said her husband had always had a nut allergy but his most severe reaction previously had been to feel sick for a couple of hours.

Mr Myers leaves children Ben, four, Jonathan, 10, Shaun, aged 11, and Gabrielle, aged 12.

The coroner for Durham said an inquest into his death was opened and adjourned yesterday.