Woman dies after choking on a lamington in Australia Day competition

A woman has died while taking part in an Australia Day lamington eating competition. Photo / 123rf

A woman has died taking part in a lamington-eating competition on Australia Day.

The event turned to tragedy after the woman died choking on the cake at Hervey Bay in Queensland.

The woman, 60, is believed to have suffered a seizure at the event at the Beach House Hotel in Scarness about 2pm.

She was given CPR and taken to Hervey Bay Hospital but could not be revived.

A woman at the pub said it was a very sad day for the community.

"Sadly a lady died during the lamington eating competition," she wrote on Facebook.

"This lady shovelled the lamington into her mouth with no restraint ... inhaled the coconut and arrested.

"The pub was very quick to respond with CPR, and the ambulance rocked... working on her (for) over half an hour, it didn't look good."

Another woman told the Courier Mail she was filming the competition when she noticed something was wrong.

"I was filming and just as my friend finished I noticed she was dribbling so I rang 000 as she fell to the ground," she said.

"I was talking to 000 until they arrived. The manager and security and a friend of mine worked on her until then.

"They put a sheet up around her and worked on her for at least another half an hour. They shocked her a few times and were still doing CPR as they took her out about 30 to 40 minutes later."

She said the woman was selling earrings at the pub earlier in the day.