A WOMAN fell to her death from a first floor window at her Penrhiwllan home only hours after her granddaughter had been born, an inquest has heard.

Susan Margaret Parker, who worked in the village shop and also at a local auctioneers as well as teaching the piano for a number of years, died from multiple injuries suffered in the fall.

Her son Matthew Parker said that Mrs Parker, 67, had spent the day of September 26 at Glangwili hospital in Carmarthen with the family for the birth of her grand-daughter before returning to her Penrhiwllan home at around 6pm.

The inquest heard that his last contact with his mother was around 9pm by text that night. Her body was found the next morning by a villager on his way to the newsagents.

Mr Parker told the inquest that his mother liked to enjoy a couple of glasses of wine in the evening and usually went to bed around 11.30-midnight.

“The bedroom has two windows, one of which is very large and opens wide , with a very low sill about nine inches high and quite awkward to open. The light is not very good in the immediate area and the front of the window was cluttered with shoes, a little stool and a metallic sewing box,” said Mr Parker.

He said he had been thinking what could have happened to explain his mother’s fall and it was when he went to the house and saw a pile of horse manure in the drive he wondered if she had heard a noise in the night, tried to open the window to see what was happening and had perhaps tripped and fallen.

“Horses from a neighbouring field quite often got into the garden and perhaps she was looking to see if it was near the car and looking to shoo it away,” said Mr Parker.

“That is perhaps the most feasible explanation. It would have been unusual for her to open that window. The other one would have been easier to open.

“If there had been a commotion down the driveway then perhaps the more awkward window would have been the one she tried to open.”

DC Elin Lockwood told the inquest that police had conducted a full investigation and there were no signs of a disturbance or struggle.

“It appeared to look like a tragic accident,” she said.

Recording a conclusion of misadventure, Ceredigion coroner Peter Brunton said: “Mrs Parker had spent the evening at home enjoying a glass of wine and watching TV following the birth of her grand daughter.

“I draw from that she would be pleased and happy. The level of alcohol at the post mortem was not too much, perhaps two to four glasses.

“There is no indication of what might have happened but Mr Parker’s theory is as good as any. Horses may have disturbed her on the way to bed and she went to investigate.

“If she had stumbled on the shoes and slippers in front of the window it is conceivable that a fall would have resulted and there was nothing she could have clutched on to.

“I offer my profound sympathy to the family. She was a well thought of lady in the community and it's a very sad way to conclude one’s life.

“Perhaps this inquest does not answer all the questions but I am satisfied there are no suspicious circumstances.”