Introduction

An inquest is a Court hearing that is intended to answer four statutory questions:

  • Who was the deceased?
  • When did they die?
  • Where did they die?
  • How did their death come about?

An inquest is not a trial and it does not seek to apportion any criminal blame or civil liability.

An inquest is a fact finding enquiry that simply aims to gather information to allow the Coroner to answer these four questions.

Types of hearing

There are 3 types of inquest:

  • Jury Inquest – A complex case where a jury is required, together with witnesses, legal representation for Interested Persons.
  • Inquest – Is where witnesses are required to attend to present their evidence and have questions asked of them.
  • Read Inquest – No witnesses are required to attend and the coroner will sit alone. The coroner reads aloud relevant selections of evidence. The inquest duration can be quite short and the coroner will hear a number of cases in succession.

You may  be called to a Pre-Inquest Review. A Pre-Inquest Review (PIR) is a hearing that can be attended by Interested persons. The Coroner will not require witnesses to attend, as the hearing does not consider any evidence.

A Pre-Inquest Review will usually be held if there are particular issues of law or procedure that need to be determined by the Coroner before the final inquest. And so a Pre-Inquest Review is very much a case management or administrative hearing.

Inquest hearings are open to members of the public and the press to attend. You are welcome to be seated in the public gallery in Court on a first-come first-served basis.

If you are planning to attend an Inquest listed below, could you please either phone 01823 359271 or email  coroner@somerset.gov.uk. It helps to have an indication of attendance in advance to make sure that we continue to comply with fire regulations and health and safety matters which apply to the court building.

Prior contact does not ‘reserve’ a seat and attendance is purely down to physical attendance on the day.

Inquest opening hearings

Taunton = Old Municipal Buildings, Corporation Street, Taunton TA1 4AQ
Wells = Wells Town Hall, Market Square, Wells, BA5 2RB

Inquests listed for final hearing

Taunton = Old Municipal Buildings, Corporation Street, Taunton TA1 4AQ
Wells = Wells Town Hall, Market Square, Wells, BA5 2RB

See the Inquests listed for final hearing table at full width
Date and timeDeceased Date of death AgePlace of deathType of hearingHeld at
Date and time29 July at 10am Deceased Manning, Amy Louise Date of death 17 January 2024 Age32 Years Place of deathYeovil Type of hearingHeld at
Date and time30 July at 10am Deceased Gascoigne, Deirdre Cecil Hermione Date of death 29 September 2024 Age83 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingInquestHeld at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time30 July at 12pm Deceased Boobyer, Robert John Date of death 12 August 2024 Age69 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingInquest Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time30 July at 2pm Deceased Barry, Christina Ellen Date of death 03 August 2024 Age77 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time31 July at 9am Deceased Clark, John Bertram Date of death 02 January 2025 Age80 Years Place of deathTauntonType of hearingInquestHeld at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time31 July at 10:30am Deceased Rogers, Norman Edward Date of death 28 December 2024 Age77 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingInquest Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time31 July at 12pm Deceased Coles, Mildred Diana Alice Date of death 01 January 2025 Age85 Years Place of deathTauntonType of hearingInquest Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time31 July at 2pm Deceased Elliot, David Charles Date of death 25 October 2024 Age46 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingInquestHeld at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time4 August at 10am Deceased Lowman, Graham Michael Date of death 16 November 2024 Age81 Years Place of deathYeovil Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time4 August at 12pm Deceased Barrett, Godfrey Robert Date of death 27 December 2024 Age61 Years Place of deathMartock Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time4 August at 2pm Deceased Victoria, Gibson Date of death 1 December 2024 Age67 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Taunton
Date and time5 August at 10am Deceased Sarah Jayne Cox Date of death 19 January 2025 Age47 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Taunton
Date and time5 August at 12pm Deceased Lilian Joyce Hodgson Date of death 20 November 2024 Age98 Years Place of deathYeovil Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Taunton
Date and time5 August 2pm Deceased Callum Hayes Date of death 5 April 2024 Age26 Years Place of deathBridgwater Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Taunton
Date and time6 August at 10am Deceased Alpha Edward John Llewellyn Date of death 20 August 2024 Age97 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Taunton
Date and time6 August 12pm Deceased Russell Anthony Daviel James Date of death 13 February 2024 Age28 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Taunton
Date and time6 August at 2pm Deceased Margaret Edith Bloor Date of death 24 August 2024 Age90 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Taunton
Date and time11 August at 10am Deceased Thomas Patrick Patton Date of death 5 January 2024 Age30 Years Place of deathSherborne Type of hearingInquest Held at Wells
Date and time11 August at 10am Deceased Borg-Cardona, Jude Anthony Date of death 23 November 2024 Age18 Years Place of deathStreet Type of hearingInquest Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time12 August at 10am Deceased Alisa Marion Eastoe Date of death 17 August 2024 Age91 Years Place of deathGlastonbury Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Traunton
Date and time12 August at 2pmDeceased Adam Lee Woodward Date of death 19 August 2024Age41 Years Place of deathYeovil Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Taunton
Date and time13 August at 10am Deceased Keith Noel Bridges Date of death 22 August 2024 Age92 Years Place of deathYeovil Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Taunton
Date and time13 August at 1pm Deceased Geoffrey Steven Quick Date of death 16 September 2024 Age81 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingInquest Held at Taunton
Date and time14 August at 10am Deceased Parsons, Drew Lloyd Date of death 12 May 2024 Age31 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingInquest Held at Wells Town Hall
Date and time18 August at10am Deceased Timothy Day Date of death 7 July 2024 Age58 Years Place of deathWellington Type of hearingInquest Held at Taunton
Date and time18 August at 3.59pm Deceased Doble, John Dennis Date of death 03 December 2024 Age79 Years Place of deathYeovilType of hearingReadHeld at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time19 August at 10am Deceased Pauline Hall Date of death 19 October 2022 Age88 Years Place of deathYeovil Type of hearingInquest Held at Taunton
Date and time19 August at 12pm Deceased Lee Marshall Chamberlain Date of death 19 August 2024 Age49 Years Place of deathWatchetType of hearingRead Inquest Held at Wells
Date and time19 August at 2pm Deceased Simon Archie Reynolds Date of death 4 August 2024 Age32 Years Place of deathAustralia Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Wells
Date and time20 August at 10am Deceased Michael John Robinson Date of death 3 December 2024 Age79 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Wells
Date and time20 August at 10am Deceased Redwood, Anthony Lionel Date of death 22 October 2024 Age89 Years Place of deathTauntonType of hearingReadHeld at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time20 August at 12pm Deceased Dawn Evelyn Clarke Date of death 2 September 2024 Age58 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Wells
Date and time20 August at 2pm Deceased Neil Featherstone Date of death 3 February 2024 Age82 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Wells
Date and time26 August at 10am Deceased Mark Bailey Date of death 10 February 2023 Age47 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingInquest Held at Taunton
Date and time27 August at 10am Deceased Christine Evelynia Kite Date of death 5 September 2024 Age92 YearsPlace of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Taunton
Date and time27 August at 2pm Deceased Matthew Hudson Date of death 21 July 2024 Age49 Years Place of deathGlastonbury Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Taunton
Date and time27 August at 2.30pm Deceased Price, Edwin Everett Milne Date of death 01 November 2024 Age71 Years Place of deathYeovil Type of hearingInquest Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time28 August at 10am Deceased Benjamin Osman Bradford Date of death 3 January 2025 Age55 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Taunton
Date and time28 August at 12pm Deceased Robert George Hancock Date of death 17 January 2025 Age75 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Inquest Held at Taunton
Date and time28 August at 2pm Deceased Haddy, Mary Celine Date of death 17 January 2025 Age89 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time1 September at 10am Deceased Nevins, Frances Date of death 15 January 2025 Age85 Years Place of deathBath Type of hearingInquestHeld at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time2 September at 10amDeceased Randle, Christopher Date of death 30 November 2024 Age57 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Held at Wells
Date and time1 September at 12pm Deceased Mitchell, Kieran Martin Date of death 29 January 2025 Age38 Years Place of deathBridgwater Type of hearingReadHeld at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time1 September at 12pm Deceased Childs, Keith Henry Date of death 26 November 2024 Age81 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Held at Wells
Date and time1 September at 12pm Deceased Goalby, Sybil Mary Date of death 27 December 2024 Age91 Years Place of deathMinehead Type of hearingRead Held at Wells
Date and time1 September at 2pm Deceased Freeman, Ian Martin Date of death 03 December 2024 Age60 Years Place of deathLangportType of hearingReadHeld at Wells Town Hall
Date and time2 September at 10amDeceased Bagley, Robin Frederick Date of death 09 December 2024 Age72 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingInquestHeld at Wells Town Hall
Date and time2 September at 2pmDeceased Arnold, Maurice Date of death 27 December 2024 Age92 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Held at Wells
Date and time3 September at 10am Deceased Heath, Callum Harrison Date of death 12 January 2025 Age23 Years Place of deathShepton Mallet Type of hearingInquest Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time3 September at 10am Deceased Wright, William Frank Date of death 3 November 2024 Age29 Years Place of deathWellington Type of hearingRead Held at Wells
Date and time3 September at 10am Deceased Williams, Taylor Anastacia Date of death 12 January 2025 Age23 Years Place of deathShepton Mallet Type of hearingInquestHeld at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time3 September at 1pmDeceased Hornsby, Nicholas Austen Date of death 10 December 2024 Age57 Years Place of deathMinehead Type of hearingRead Held at Wells
Date and time3 September at 3pmDeceased Stafford Gore, Margaret Elizabeth Date of death 31 December 2024 Age75 Years Place of deathGrenada Type of hearingRead Held at Wells
Date and time4 September at 9.15am Deceased Furner, Duncan Thomas Date of death 22 December 2024 Age85 Years Place of deathTauntonType of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time4 September at 10am Deceased Bongers, Linda Joan Date of death 27 December 2024 Age78 Years Place of deathCrewkerne Type of hearingRead Held at Wells
Date and time4 September at 11am Deceased Woodcock, Kevin Date of death 19 December 2024 Age68 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time4 September at 12pm Deceased Starkey, Cherry Mary Date of death 5 January 2025 Age81 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Held at Wells
Date and time4 September at 1pm Deceased Sutton, Timothy James Date of death 24 December 2024 Age82 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time4 September at 2pm Deceased Grabham, Michael John Date of death 03 January 2025 Age86 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingReadHeld at Wells Town Hall
Date and time8 September at 10am Deceased Baker, Adam Lee Date of death 23 June 2023 Age41 Years Place of deathMinehead Type of hearingJury Held at Wells Town Hall
Date and time9 September at 10am Deceased Roberts, Jonathan Date of death 15 July 2024 Age63 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingInquest Held at Wells
Date and time10 September at 10am Deceased Small, Clifford Robert George Date of death 07 November 2023 Age98 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingJuryHeld at Wells Town Hall
Date and time15 September at 10am Deceased Cussans, Daniel Hallas Date of death 15 July 2022 Age43 Years Place of deathPamplona Type of hearingInquest Held at Wells
Date and time15 September at 10am Deceased Ashby, Mary Josephine Date of death 13 February 2025 Age79 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time15 September at 1pm Deceased Whitbread, Gillian Elizabeth Date of death 17 February 2025 Age77 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time15 September at 2.30pm Deceased Johnson, Roy Leslie Date of death 30 January 2025 Age84 Years Place of deathRadstock Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time16 September at 10am Deceased Davies, Neo Connor Date of death 11 February 2025 Age18 Years Place of deathBristol Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time16 September at 1pm Deceased D’eath, Ronald Date of death 3 February 2025 Age92 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time16 September at 2.30pm Deceased Stevens, Craig Martin Date of death 11 February 2025 Age40 Years Place of deathShepton Mallet Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time17 September at 10am Deceased Synenko, Mateusz Date of death 10 January 2024 Age30 Years Place of deathGlastonbury Type of hearingInquest Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time17 September at 10am Deceased Redwood, Anthony Lionel Date of death 22 October 2024 Age89 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time17 September 2pm Deceased Gaylard, Albert Douglas Date of death 26 February 2025 Age93 Years Place of deathYeovil Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time17 September at 12pm Deceased Parsons, Tracy Lynn Date of death 11 September 2024 Age62 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time18 September at 10am Deceased Derbyshire, Andrew James Date of death 2 July 2024 Age35 Years Place of deathBrent Knoll Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time18 September at 1pm Deceased Briggs, Rodney Victor Date of death 16 April 2025 Age80 Years Place of deathYeovil Type of hearingInquest Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time19 September at 10am Deceased Fry, Dawn Alison Date of death 4 September 2023 Age65 Years Place of deathYeovil Type of hearingInquest Held at Wells
Date and time22 September at 10am Deceased Arkwright, George Charles Date of death 13 October 2023 Age44 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingInquest Held at Wells
Date and time22 September at 10am Deceased Marson, Alan John Date of death 18 January 2025 Age83 Years Place of deathBridgwater Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time22 September at 12pm Deceased Horsley, Michelle Louise Date of death 12 August 2024 Age41 Years Place of deathAxbridge Type of hearingReadHeld at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time22 September at 2pm Deceased Tyndall, Pauline Mavis Date of death 02 February 2025 Age85 Years Place of deathTauntonType of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time23 September at 10am Deceased Williams, Steven James Date of death 10 July 2024 Age49 Years Place of deathBridgwater Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time25 September at 10am Deceased Curtis, Peter David Date of death 7 January 2025 Age62 Years Place of deathYeovil Type of hearingInquest Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time25 September at 2pm Deceased Watson, Valerie June Date of death 7 March 2025 Age90 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time26 September at 10.30amDeceased Perry, Nova Ranah Date of death 15 August 2023 Age0 Years Place of deathWellington Type of hearingInquest Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time29 September at 10am Deceased Pool, Roy Date of death 31 December 2024 Age81 Years Place of deathYeovil Type of hearingRead Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time29 September at 12pm Deceased Gage, Valerie Date of death 14 October 2024 Age67 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingInquest Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time30 September at 10am Deceased Cox, Aaron Ross Date of death 25 November 2023 Age27 Years Place of deathTaunton Type of hearingInquest Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton
Date and time6 October at 12pm Deceased Davies, William Gwylfa Date of death 25 July 2024 Age96 Years Place of deathYeovilType of hearingInquest Held at Old Municipal Buildings, Taunton

What happens

During the Inquest hearing itself the Coroner will hear the evidence and, at the end of the Inquest, the Coroner will give their conclusion. All of the findings made by the Coroner are based on the evidence that they have heard and are on the basis of what is more likely to have happened than not. This is known as ‘on the balance of probabilities’.

This is the same standard of proof that is used in the civil courts, and so is lower than that used in criminal courts – where the Judge must be satisfied ‘beyond reasonable doubt’.

At the end of the Inquest the Coroner will complete the Record of Inquest. This is a publicly available document and contains answers to the four statutory questions.

In most cases the Coroner will sit alone but sometimes the Coroner will be required to sit with a jury.

Interested person

There is a statutory list of who is considered to be an interested person, but generally speaking interested persons are:

  • Family of the deceased
  • Anyone whose acts or omissions may have caused or contributed to the death

Interested persons are entitled to disclosure of the evidence to be heard at inquest and can attend the inquest and ask questions of the witnesses.

Remote attendance and inquests in writing

An Inquest and any related hearings (such as pre-inquest reviews, suspensions and adjournments) are held in open court, unless notification is given that the Inquest will be ‘in Writing’.

Interested Persons – Witnesses – Advocates

Interested persons, witnesses and advocates should attend the inquest and any related hearings in person. They should be present physically in Court.

If you are an ‘interested person’, witness or advocate and you wish to attend the hearing remotely then you must:

  • Email a written application to the Coroner: coroner@somerset.gov.uk
  • The application must be made at the earliest possible opportunity, but no later than 10 clear working days before the listed hearing.
  • The application should clearly set out the reasons why you are unable to attend in person and why remote access should be given.

On receipt of an application within the time limits stated above, the Coroner will:

  • Seek the views of the interested persons and any advocates.
  • Deliver a ruling on the application.
  • If the application is granted and the matter is listed in a Court that has facilities for remote attendance, then the remote link will be made available to you by court staff.

The Coroner will be more likely to permit remote attendance where:

  • Remote attendance would improve the quality of the evidence given.
  • Remote attendance would allow the inquest to proceed more expediently.
  • Remote attendance is the only way to enable participation (that is, the applicant has emigrated and now lives abroad).
  • There is the capacity and technological capability to enable remote attendance at that particular hearing.
  • Allowing remote attendance would not create an unreasonable administrative burden.

In reaching a decision the coroner will also consider:

  • Whether remote attendance will impede the questioning of a witness.
  • The balance to be struck between the interests of justice and the interests of those attending the hearing.

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No one has the right to observe a hearing remotely. Individuals are entitled to apply for permission and applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis and they may be refused.

Press and members of the public

From 28 June 2022 it became lawful for members of the public and the press to join hearings remotely. Should you wish to make an application then you must:

  • Make a written application to the Coroner using this email address: coroner@somerset.gov.uk
  • The application must be made at the earliest possible opportunity, but no later than 10 clear working days before the listed hearing.
  • The application should clearly set out the reasons why you should be granted remote access.

General advice concerning remote access

Please note that there is currently only one Courtroom in Taunton that allows for the use of remote access. The Coroner also has potential access to a second Courtroom in Wells but this is only used for Jury cases and larger inquests by prior agreement. There is sufficient room in the Court to physically accommodate members of the public and press, within reason.

As such, we recommend that anyone wanting to attend an Inquest hearing does not rely on remote access being available.

Where remote access is permitted, a link to access the proceedings will be sent by email, along with a set of guidelines for conduct. Please familiarise yourself with these in advance.

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It is a summary offence and contempt of court to record or transmit the proceedings and any images of any person attending the proceedings. If any person records or broadcasts all or any part of the proceedings, they will be committing a criminal offence.

Jury Service

When a Coroner hears an Inquest, they will normally sit alone. However, in certain circumstances the Coroner may be required to sit with a Jury. This is made of between seven and eleven randomly selected members of the public who will act as the ‘judges of fact’ in the particular case. They will be under the legal direction of the Coroner and it will be they, rather than the Coroner, who reach and return the Conclusion at the end of the Inquest.

Potential jury members are screened for any matters within their personal circumstances which may compromise their ability to remain impartial. If the Coroner believes that they may not be able to remain true to their oath to diligently enquire into the death of the deceased, the Coroner can choose to discharge a particular juror from the selection pool before the Inquest starts. It may also become necessary to discharge a juror part way through an Inquest, but this decision is not taken lightly.

An Inquest is not a trial. It is an inquisitorial process rather than an adversarial one. The purpose of any Inquest is not to determine any civil or criminal blame or liability, and so no one is on trial.

If you are called to be part of a jury – if you receive a Jury Summons

Once you have been selected, you will be notified in writing that you are required to attend the Court and sit as a juror. You will then be sent a set of instructions as to what you will need to do, along with a form that you must return to the Court. You can contact the Somerset Coroner’s office if you have any questions when you receive the instructions and the form.

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Attending as a juror is not optional, it is a civil obligation that you are required to perform. Failing to return the completed form or to attend and serve on the jury is punishable by a fine of up to £1000.

If you are employed, you will need to let your employer know that you will not be able to attend work during the days on which you are sitting as a juror. You will need to make sure that your employer will pay you in your absence from work, as the Court will not pay you for completing your jury service. However, in cases where your employer is unwilling to pay you, you can make a claim for loss of earnings as a result of being absent from work. This arrangement also applies if you are self-employed. There are limits as to the amount that you can be paid and these are set out in law. For more information, you can look at the jury service page of the GOV.UK website.

As a serving juror then you will also be given a daily allowance to cover food and drink. In certain circumstances then you may also be able to claim travel expenses. Please visit the jury service page of GOV.UK for more about these expenses.

What happens if you want to delay your jury service

In exceptional circumstances (such as having a pre-booked holiday, which you will need to provide documentary evidence of) then the Coroner may allow you to postpone your jury service. You will not be allowed more than one postponement.

If you think that you are unable to carry out jury service for the dates that you have been called for and you wish to make an application to postpone it, then you should contact the Coroner’s Office as soon as possible, setting out your full reasons and sending in any proof of your reason for non-attendance on this occasion. Contact details are available on this website. They will also be sent out on the notification letter that you received.

Last updated: July 29, 2025

Next review due: January 29, 2026

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