Olwen Collier suffered severe head injuries when she fell downstais onto the concrete cellar floor (Picture: Wales News Service)

A woman has died after falling into a pub cellar while setting up for her daughter’s birthday party.

Olwen Collier, of Penygroes, Llanelli, was putting up balloons and bunting at the Stag and Pheasant pub in the village of Carmel, Carmathenshire, to mark her daughter Allison’s 50th on January 12. 

The 69-year-old cafe owner is thought to have opened the cellar door by mistake, suffering severe head injuries upon tumbling down a set of stairs onto the concrete floor below.

Olwen was airlifted to the University of Wales Hospital, Cardiff, after being placed in an induced coma at the scene.

She died on Monday, January 16. 

According to the family, she had wanted to make the 110-year-old pub’s function room ‘extra special’ to help mark Allison’s milestone birthday.

They reportedly remain in ‘disbelief’ about her death.

Police are understood to have visited the Stag and Pheasant after the incident took place.

An investigation is now underway by health and safety officers with Carmarthenshire Council.

Olwen was killed in a freak accident (Picture: Allison Raymond/Wales News Service)

The Stag and Pheasant pub in the village of Carmel, Carmathenshire, have not commented on the incident (Picture: Wales News Service)

Collier’s family say she was unfamiliar with the pub, which is being investigated by health and safety officers with Carmarthenshire Council (Picture: Wales News Service)

Olwen’s daughter Allison told Wales Online: ‘My mum went to the pub looking to set it up for my 50th birthday surprise when an accident happened. She went into the bar and told the landlord she was there to decorate the room.

‘Mammy was unfamiliar with the pub and pushed on an outer door which was open and fell down into the cellar, which had hard concrete at the bottom.

‘I had a phone call from my son to say my mother had fallen. I thought she had just broken her leg or something like that, but when I arrived I could see the severity of it.

‘The paramedics came and an air ambulance came and she was airlifted to hospital in Cardiff.

‘She was put in an induced coma outside the pub. We were told that the next 72 hours would be critical but we knew by the Saturday that there was not much hope.

‘I can’t comprehend what’s happened. I can’t accept the fact she is not going to come home.

‘Mammy was such an outgoing person. She was still running her own business, she ran Bizzie Lizzies Cafe in Gorseinon for 35 years […]

‘She was fit and healthy and she would do lots of charity work. I just can’t get my head around it. It’s horrendous. We’re still in disbelief. I feel quite sick that she died in that way.’

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Olwen Collier was preparing for her daughter’s 50th when she fell 12ft into the open cellar of a Carmarthenshire pub.