A method of manufacturing a composite structure includes providing a mandrel comprising a base part and at least one conical part. The base part comprises an elongate shaft. The base part of the mandrel comprises a cylindrical surface around a longitudinal axis of the base part. The at least one conical part extends from the cylindrical surface of the base part. The mandrel and a braiding machine are moved relative to one another such that fibre tows are braided over at least the base part of the mandrel. The mandrel and the braiding machine are arranged such that during the braiding process, none of the fibre tows intersect with a vertex of the at least one conical part of the mandrel.