A widow died after toppling from her third-floor window in Brighton.

Winifred Rowe, 86, died from multiple injuries after the fall from her flat on Leahurst Court Road.

She was known to sit by the window, whose sill was less than 2ft, and often leaned out to call to people on the grass verge below.

A neighbour, Antoinette Fellahi, heard Mrs Rowe fall while she was making coffee in her own flat nearby on August 30, an inquest heard.

She said in a statement: "I heard a thud and looked out of the window and saw something on the ground.

"I ran out and saw it was an old lady. I thought she had fallen while walking.

"I said 'Hello' and I saw that her eyes were open and she was breathing heavily but she didn't answer."

She said she looked up and saw a window wide open about 30ft up and realised the woman must have fallen.

Mrs Rowe was put in an ambulance but had a heart attack from which she never recovered.

PC Ian Brown told coroner Roderick Webb: "Apparently she didn't like people sitting on the grass verge and used to lean out of the window, to the horror of passers-by, to shout at them."

Mr Webb said: "She was unsteady on her feet and lost her balance while leaning out of the window."

He recorded a verdict of accidental death.