Christmas tragedy
01 February 2002
A Bournemouth hotelier died after falling from a balcony at her home as she put up Christmas lights, an inquest was told last week. Maureen Smith, 56, was co-director with her husband, Terence, of the three-star Collingwood hotel in the Dorset town.
The court in Bournemouth was told that, on 14 December, she overbalanced while standing on a stepladder and plunged 20ft, hitting the top of the porch before landing on the drive.
The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.
