A coroner is to decide whether an inquest needs to be held into the death of Durham University student Olivia Burt who was crushed by a falling screen outside a nightclub.

Olivia suffered severe head injuries when a heavy decorative screen outside the Missoula nightclub in the city centre fell on her while she waited to get in, in February 2018.

Earlier this year Teesside Crown Court heard the venue was full of student sports teams and a crowd had gathered outside.

Read more: Woman produced knife from waistband during street confrontation

As the queue swelled, a surge of people caused Ms Burt to be pushed through one of the screen’s panels before a section of it fell.

Ms Burt’s head hit the pavement and “the metal bar of the screen with the weight of other customers landed on her head”, jurors were told.

After a three-week trial, Stonegate, the UK’s biggest pub chain, was found guilty of a health and safety breach over the fact that the screen also fell over 30 minutes before Ms Burt was hit. The chain was fined £1.56m.

The Northern Echo: Investigations being carried out following Olivia Burt's death.Investigations being carried out following Olivia Burt's death.

An inquest into Olivia’s death was paused pending the criminal trial and resumed on Wednesday (August 23) at a short hearing attended by her parents and representatives of Stonegate.

Senior Coroner for Durham and Darlington Jeremy Chipperfield told Crook Coroners Court a decision will be made on whether to resume the inquest.

He said inquest proceedings “tend not to be resumed if there has been a conviction in relation to the offence to which they relate”.

All interested parties including the Burts, Stonegate and security firm Phoenix Security will be able to make submissions as to whether they want the inquest resumed.

The Northern Echo: Olivia Burt with her parents, Paula and Nigel.Olivia Burt with her parents, Paula and Nigel. (Image: Contributor)

Mr Chipperfield pencilled in a pre-inquest review hearing on October 6 when it will be decided whether an inquest will be held into Olivia’s death.

After the crown court verdict last month, her parents Paula and Nigel criticised Stonegate for “disregarding the safety” of customers by using the screens.

They said in a statement outside court: “Olivia was our only child and meant everything to us.

Read next:

Get more from The Northern Echo with a Premium Plus digital subscription from as little as only £1.50 a week. Click here.

“It is incomprehensible to us how she could have died on a night out with friends whilst simply standing in a queue.

The Northern Echo: Flowers left at the scene where the Durham University student Olivia Burt died.Flowers left at the scene where the Durham University student Olivia Burt died.

“Olivia was at the start of her adult life in her first year at university and had so much to look forward to; this was taken away from her in the cruellest possible way.

“Our lives will never be the same again – we are heartbroken.”