A RETIRED ferry captain died after suffering a fall at her home, an inquest heard.

Wendy Carrington was found dead by the stairs of her flat in Shore Close, Milford-on-Sea on October 10, by her daughter Emma West and her sister Sally Bradley, the hearing was told.

Winchester Coroner’s Court heard that the 74-year-old was a regular drinker, and her family feared this might lead to a fatal fall, at the hearing on Tuesday.

Although Ms Carrington drank two or three bottles of wine a day, and three empty bottles were found close to her body, her death was not caused by alcohol, the inquest heard.

Pathologist Dr Adrian Bateman said there was only 0.12ml per 100ml of alcohol - far less than the drink drive limit.

Ms Carrington suffered a haemorrhage on her lower back, and was dead by the time she was found. The inquest heard that neighbour Mr Bradshaw had alerted Mrs Carrington’s family after he heard a bang coming from her home on the morning she died.

Coroner Grahame Short recorded a conclusion of accidental death.