Woman, 23, plunged 25ft to her death from cliff edge after walking home from seafront cottage in the dark, inquest hears
- Megan Thornton had been on a night out with friends on the day of the accident
- A coroner at Cornwall’s Truro Coroner’s Court ruled her death was accidental
A ‘determined’ and ‘precious’ young woman who plunged to her death after falling from a cliff edge after a night out in Cornwall had been trying to walk home, an inquest heard.
Megan Thornton, 23, had only been at the seafront property for a short while when she was told she could not stay the night because 15 family members were already sleeping at the centuries-old cottage.
She was said to have willingly accepted this and left the property to go home, but walked just two steps before she plummeted from the 25-ft cliff and on to the rocks below.
An inquest heard the assistant marketing manager was unable to be saved despite courageous efforts from those in the cottage and paramedics at the scene.
The coroner concluded that Ms Thornton’s death was a ‘tragic accident’.
Megan Thornton was described by her family as ‘determined’ and ‘precious’ – and had set out to walk home on the night of her death
Ms Thornton ultimately died of her injuries after falling 25 feet from a cliff on to rocks below (Pictured: Cliffs overlooking Widemouth Bay)
Ms Thornton had been on a night out in Bude, Cornwall with friends in July 2022 when she met Charlie Pengilly and accompanied him back to the cottage overlooking Widemouth Bay where he was staying with family members.
A short while later, she was told she was unable to stay at the property and left the cottage via the back door with Mr Pengilly, who promptly attempted to call her a taxi.
The cottage was located just 30ft from the cliff edge, which was usually illuminated with solar lights, but these were not activated on the night of Ms Thornton’s death.
Cornwall’s Coroner’s Court in Truro was told there was no fencing to protect people from the cliff edge because coastal erosion rips the fencing down.
Ms Thornton took several steps, seemingly planning to walk home from the cottage, before falling off the cliff and landing on rocks on the beach below.
Mr Pengilly raised the alarm and house guest Alice Rogers, who is a GP practice nurse, ran down to the beach and gave unconscious Megan life support until paramedics arrived.
Unfortunately Ms Thornton ultimately died from her injuries.
IT worker Mr Pengilly told the inquest the garden was ‘pitch black’ on the night of the tragedy.
He said: ‘She was a lovely girl. I was just trying to get her a cab home.’
Police said there were no suspicious circumstances.
Ms Thornton had been on a night out in Bude, Cornwall with friends in July 2022 when she met Charlie Pengilly and accompanied him back to the cottage overlooking Widemouth Bay
A post mortem examination concluded she died from head and neck injuries consistent with a fall from height.
She was 1.5 times the drink drive limit, but was a ‘fit and well’ young woman.
Ms Thornton had graduated with a degree from Cardiff University and then a Masters degree at Exeter University in marketing.
She achieved such a high level of academic success that Exeter University Business School bestowed upon her a world-class scholarship.
Her father Paul Thornton said: ‘She was very precious to us. We are very proud of her. She achieved so much in her short life. She was so single-minded, very determined, hard-working and very ambitious.’
He said the family did not blame anyone for the tragedy and were grateful to Ms Rogers for doing everything she could to help her on the beach.
The senior Cornwall coroner Andrew Cox said Ms Thornton was of a mind to walk back to her address at 2am and set off but fell over the cliff edge on to the rocks below.
He also commended Ms Rogers as she tried to save Megan but said there was nothing she could do to avoid this outcome.
He recorded an accidental death conclusion, saying: ‘This was a tragic accident.’
