Government scientist died on cycling holiday in Italy

A SCIENTIST died after smashing into a concrete wall while on a cycling holiday in Italy, an inquest heard.

Susannah Boddie, 27, from Nettlebed, suffered a severe head injury after losing control of her machine on a steep mountain trail near Lake Garda in August last year.

She was on holiday with her boyfriend Rob Johnson at the time.

Miss Boddie, who was a lead data scientist at No 10 Downing Street during the coronavirus pandemic, and Mr Johnson were cycling back to Verona from the Dolomite mountains when the accident happened.

The couple had been cycling 100km a day, crossing high altitude mountain passes.

Mr Johnson told Oxford Coroner’s Court that they were on the last day of the trip when they came across a steep decline in the mountains above Toscolano Maderno.

They had been cycling mostly downhill for about 30 minutes with him slightly ahead of her. Then she overtook him and appeared “out of control” before disappearing round a bend in the road.

Mr Johnson said that when he caught up with her, she appeared to be breathing but was bleeding from her mouth.

A couple stopped to help but it took paramedics 30 minutes to arrive due to the rural location.

Miss Boddie was declared dead at the scene shortly afterwards.

The inquest heard that her bicycle, which she had taken on holiday with her, was examined after the crash. It was considered possible that the inner tube of the front tyre had exploded, which would have rendered the brakes useless. Senior coroner Darren Salter ruled that her death was accidental.

He added: “She was an inspiring woman, an incredible scientist and was loved and admired by all. She had achieved so much in her short life.”

Miss Boddie lived in London but regularly returned to the family home in Park Corner where she grew up and would often cycle to.

She was educated at Highmoor Nursery School, Rupert House School in Henley and St Helen and St Katharine School in Abingdon before going on to study at Cambridge University.

Her father Simon, finance director at Oxford University, and mother Sarah, a vet at the Larkmead veterinary practice in Cholsey, described her as a dedicated student who always wanted to get her homework done so she could get outdoors to enjoy sport.

Miss Boddie represented the Woodland Pony Club at national level in eventing and dressage and took a year out before university to work in a professional event yard with trainer Lydia Hannon, from Watlington.

She read natural sciences at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and completed a degree in pharmacology followed by a master’s in systems biology. She developed her love of data science while at university.

At Cambridge she captained the horse-riding team and also represented the university in modern pentathlon for three years.

After university, she joined the civil service fast track scheme, spending her first year in the Department for Work and Pensions.

Miss Boddie moved on to the data science unit at No 10 where she worked on the response to the pandemic and more recently on health policy issues.

Outside work she retained her love of sport. She ran the London Marathon in three hours and 17 minutes and completed a half-Iron Man event. When she moved to London she took up triathlons, joining the Clapham Chasers triathlon club.

She was also a passionate park runner and she cared passionately about the environment and held strong opinions.

Speaking in August, Mrs Boddie said: “I think the combination of science data and making a difference in public service was very motivating for her and gave her a sense of purpose.

“She definitely wanted to make a difference. She always said to me she just wanted to help people.

“She’d achieved more in her 27 years than many do. She crammed so much into her life.

“She had an incredible determination and she pursued so many interests but still made time for everyone she cared about.

“Her memory will continue to inspire us in all we do.”