Megan Thornton: Woman, 23, fell to death from cliff while walking home in the dark from seafront cottage
CORNWALL, ENGLAND: A 23-year-old ‘precious’ and ‘determined’ woman, who tragically plunged 25 feet to her death, had been walking back home in the dark after a night out with strangers when she fell off a dangerous cliff in Cornwall, an inquest has heard. Megan Thornton, from Bude, was at a seafront property for a short while before she fell to her death on July 31, 2022.
Thornton, who worked as an assistant marketing manager, had been on a night out with friends when she met Charlie Pengilly and accompanied him back to the cottage overlooking Widemouth Bay where he was staying with family members. After spending some time, the young woman was told that she could not stay the night at the cottage as 15 family members were already sleeping there. Thornton willingly left the cottage via the back door, according to DailyMail.
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How did Megan Thornton fall off the cliff?
Pengilly even attempted to call her a taxi but Thornton insisted on walking back home. Coroner's Court in Truro was told on Tuesday, February 21 that the cottage was located just 30 feet from the cliff edge, which was usually illuminated with solar lights, but those were not working on the night of Thornton's death. It was also revealed that there was no fencing to protect people as coastal erosion rips the fencing down.
Thornton soon left the cottage and took only a few steps before falling off the cliff and landing on rocks on the beach below. Pengilly frantically raised alarms and alerted house guest Alice Rogers, who rushed down the beach and gave unconscious Megan life support until paramedics arrived. Despite Rogers and paramedics’ relentless efforts, Thornton was pronounced dead at the scene. Pengilly testified at the inquest that the garden was "pitch dark" on the fateful night. "She was a lovely girl. I was just trying to get her a cab home," he said.
'Tragic accident'
An autopsy revealed that Thornton died from head and neck injuries consistent with a fall from height. The court also heard that she was 1.5 times the drunk drive limit, but was a 'fit and well' young woman. Senior Cornwall coroner Andrew Cox concluded that Thornton's death was a 'tragic accident'. He also praised Rogers for her efforts to save Megan but noted there was nothing she could have done to prevent this outcome.
Megan’s father Paul Thornton remembered his daughter and 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 Rogers for doing everything she could to help her on the beach.
