Eastbourne legal secretary found dead in home

Christine Poulton was found dead at the retirement housing complex in Brodie Place on June 10 last year.

An inquest at Eastbourne Town Hall on Thursday (February 25), heard Ms Poulton had previously worked as a legal secretary and had been diagnosed with suspected lung cancer in May 2020.

Doctor Robert Venn told the inquest that when he saw her in May, they discovered the cancer and it couldn’t be cured due to the stage it had been detected.

Dr Venn said Ms Poulton then spent a few days in the DGH in order to manage her cancer but she was discharged May 26 after four days in hospital and didn’t attend any further appointments.

GP Jennifer Rowe told the inquest she suspected the adenocarcinoma - cancer - of the right lung was expected to be the reason for Ms Poulton’s death.

Ms Poulton’s body was found by the Brodie Place site manager after she had failed to hear from Ms Poulton for a number of days.

East Sussex coroner Alan Craze ruled Ms Poulton’s death was due to natural causes with the suspected cause being lung cancer.