Death of pensioner was ‘tragic accident’

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AN elderly Gloucestershire woman who was found dead in a stream at the bottom of her garden eight days after she was reported missing had probably fallen in while gardening, a coroner said.

Norma Conn, 73 and of Gloucester Street, Winchcombe, went missing on Wednesday, March 7, this year.

However, despite extensive searching, she was not found until Thursday, March 15.

The search for her had begun after she failed to attend a hair appointment and people reported they had not seen her for a few days.

The Gloucester inquest was told that on Thursday, March 15, a volunteer was searching on a walkway by the stream when he spotted her body in the water.

The stream was shallow, measuring one metre deep, but with a fast current.

In her garden a hoe was found on the ground and it is thought she was out gardening and probably fell.

Senior Gloucestershire Coroner Katy Skerrett said “There were no natural causes related to death and no history of mental health problems.

“It is more probable than not she fell into the stream and for whatever reason could not recover herself.

“I am satisfied this was a tragic accident.”