Fatal fungus forces funeral

Two people who accidentally ate poisonous mushrooms in Canberra have died in a Sydney hospital. The 52-year-old woman and 38-year-old man were friends who mistook the death cap mushrooms for an edible variety at a New Year's Eve party. They've since died at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. The mushrooms tend to grow around Canberra and in southern New South Wales and are most often found at the bottom of oak trees. Death cap mushrooms are filled with amatoxin, which can attack enzymes involved in producing DNA. The poison can also trigger liver failure. Whoever picked or sold the mushrooms obviously did a rather stupid thing in not fulfilling their duty of care. This should never have happened, even to an Australian. I hope they find the bellend responsible.