Woman who 'hated the sea' was found dead on beach

Glenys Shelton's mental health "spiralled" following the death of her husband

A woman found dead on a beach during a heavy storm "hated the dark and hated the sea", her daughter told an inquest.

The body of Glenys Shelton, 69, was discovered on Hunstanton beach in Norfolk just before 00:00 BST on 20 October 2023.

Her children said she had a history of poor mental health and had spoken of taking her own life.

A coroner said there was "no evidence to reveal whether Mrs Shelton intended to go into the sea or whether she intended to die".

Norfolk Coroner's Court heard how Mrs Shelton, a former market trader, struggled with depression and anxiety after her husband died of cancer in August 2020.

Her son, James Shelton, 40, told the court: "I genuinely didn't recognise my mum.

"She didn't sleep for three weeks and she spoke of having voices in her head."

Mrs Shelton was eventually sectioned under the Mental Health Act, and in May 2022 spent more than three months at an acute mental health unit in Kings Lynn.

When she returned home to Hunstanton carers visited twice a day and her mental health started to improve.

Katie Shelton-Innes, Mrs Shelton's daughter, told the inquest via a statement: "Her 70th birthday was approaching and we'd started to make plans."

The inquest at Norfolk Coroner's Court lasted less than three hours

On the night of her death, during Storm Babet, Mrs Shelton had declined an invite to her son's house for "pizza in the garden" as she felt anxious, the court heard.

A carer had been to visit and left with Mrs Shelton "sat up in bed, eating soup and with the TV on".

Four hours later, Mrs Shelton's body was found opposite the Sealife Centre, less than a mile away from her home on Austin Street.

A note containing the phone number of a suicide helpline was found close to her bed.

At an inquest on Friday senior coroner Jacqueline Lake said while Mrs Shelton had previously spoken of taking her own life, "it may also be the case that she walked along the beach and was pulled into the sea".

She recorded a narrative conclusion, with the cause of death being given as drowning.

Paying tribute to his mum, Mr Shelton said she was a "fantastic, fun-loving woman" who had provided "plenty of laughter over the years".

"I ultimately think she died of a broken heart," he added.