Mystery surrounds Shoreham bridge death

The body of Alma White, 83, of Mill Hill Gardens, was discovered by motorists on a crash barrier on the A27 at 1.40am on March 5 this year.

Police discovered Mrs White's Zimmer frame on the bridge, positioned in a way that it could have been used to climb up onto the edge, but there was a chance she might have just fallen. At an inquest at Worthing Town Hall on Monday, West Sussex coroner Roger Stone recorded an open verdict.

At the inquest, a statement was read out from Edward White, Mrs White's widower.

In the statement, Mr White said his wife had been suffering from a chest infection, which had developed into pneumonia.

She had suffered with her chest each winter, but this year it had been especially bad and it had caused her to go deaf. She had not felt she was getting better, but her GP had said she was.

Police and paramedics were called to the scene after passing drivers noticed her body on the crash barrier under the bridge, which is about 50ft off the ground.

She was wearing her nightdress under layers of clothing and her Zimmer frame was on the bridge.

Mrs White had gone to bed with her husband, but he later woke to find she was not there. He went out looking for her and saw the police presence. He was taken back home and they identified Mrs White using family photographs.

A post-mortem examination revealed she had died from multiple injuries consistent with the fall.

An open verdict was recorded by Mr Stone because he could not be sure she intended to jump, or whether she fell.