A woman has been killed after a loose beach umbrella impaled her in the chest in South Carolina.

Tammy Perreault, 63, was hit by an umbrella which was blown by the wind from its anchoring while she was at Garden City Beach on Wednesday, Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard said.

Ms Perreault died about an hour later in hospital from chest trauma, police said.

Beach umbrellas have a spiked end to help push them into the sand and their wide canopy allows them to get caught up in a strong wind if they are not anchored properly, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

Scotty’s Beach Bar, located near Garden City Beach, paid tribute to Ms Perreault describing her as a “dear friend” in a post on online.

It said: “Today with heavy hearts we mourn the loss of a dear friend and kind hearted local, Tammy Perreault.

“Some things we will never begin to understand but what we do know is no one has a bad thing to say about this woman.

Two murders, a suicide plot and mystery over a housekeeper’s death -the questions swirling around US lawyer Alex Murdaugh

South Carolina man dies from heart attack while burying strangled girlfriend’s body in yard

Shooting at South Carolina shopping centre leaves 12 injured

“To be as sweet as her day in and day out should be a goal for all.”

The federal agency estimates about 3,000 people are injured by beach umbrellas every year.

US senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner of Virginia asked the safety agency to review rules for beach umbrellas and start an awareness campaign after a Virginia woman was killed by an umbrella in 2016.

Related posts:

Man arrested over death of Nicki Minaj’s father Spa shootings: Suspect ‘had sex addiction and was attempting to take out temptation’ Woman with history of illegally boarding planes back in jail after being arrested at airport Child among four killed in California office shooting ‘You have to relive everything’: George Floyd’s brother on agony of trial Has Donald Trump found a way around his social media ban? Superman actor dismisses bisexual Man of Steel as ‘bandwagoning’ Man who served 24 years behind bars for murder pardoned Ex-Japanese princess leaves country for New York after losing royal status due to ‘commoner’ husband One of America’s most-wanted tracked down 52 years after bank heist ‘I see you’: Brandi Chastain congratulates Chloe Kelly over goal celebration and ‘huge’ win for Lionesses Hundreds still unaccounted for after Kentucky floods leave at least 35 dead