Eastbourne OAP drives mobility scooter over Beachy Head (From The Argus)
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Eastbourne OAP drives mobility scooter over Beachy Head
9:31am Monday 6th August 2012 in News By Ben Parsons
UPDATE: An elderly man who drove his mobility scooter off Beachy Head yesterday afternoon has been named as Victor Newton, 81, from Langney in Eastbourne.
Sussex Police , who were called to the suicide hotspot at 2.45pm yesterday, said today they were not treating the death as suspicious. The coroner has been informed.
A spokesman for the force said: “We received a call from a member of the public reporting an elderly male on an invalid scooter falling over the edge of the clifftop near the Beachy Head pub.”
The pensioner’s body was retrieved by Royal National Lifeboat Institution crews from Eastbourne and Birling Gap.
Once he has been identified police are expected to prepare a report for the East Sussex coroner about the circumstances of the fall.
Officers were taking statements from witnesses at the scene yesterday afternoon.
Jack Froud, who was working at the Beachy Head pub, said staff were aware a tragedy had occurred.
He said: “There was quite a scene. It went on for a good half an hour.
“Staff said there were police cars, and they had the lifeboat helicopter and the chaplains down there. It is not really an uncommon thing here.”
The death came days after a 36-year-old man survived a fall from cliffs nearby. He was flown to King’s College Hospital in London to be treated for severe head injuries after the fall on Tuesday.
According to the most recent figures published by the Beachy Head chaplaincy team, who intervene to stop people killing themselves, in June this year 63 clifftop searches took place and 21 people were rescued. Five bodies were recovered. In May 17 people were rescued after 61 alerts. One body was recovered.
Anyone who saw what happened on Sunday is asked to call Sussex Police on 101.
Did you know Mr Newton? Email anna.roberts@theargus.co.uk .
Comments(19)
GIVE UP
says...
10:20am Mon 6 Aug 12
Goldenwight wrote:Read The SUN
An elderly man drove his mobility scooter off Beachy Head as horrified day-trippers looked on unable to stop him yesterday afternoon.
How, exactly, do we know this? There are certainly no comments from "horrified day-trippers" included in the story. Did he fall or did he jump?
chrisinbrighton
says...
10:26am Mon 6 Aug 12
Nathan_Adler
says...
10:36am Mon 6 Aug 12
May the old boy rest in peace.
Goldenwight
says...
10:39am Mon 6 Aug 12
chrisinbrighton wrote:Fair comment.
no he drove !!
Crystal Ball
says...
10:46am Mon 6 Aug 12
Nathan_Adler wrote:Agree completely.
Terribly sad, whether it was an accident or suicide.
May the old boy rest in peace.
Achoo!
says...
2:27pm Mon 6 Aug 12
mimseycal
says...
2:38pm Mon 6 Aug 12
getThisCoalitionOut
says...
3:51pm Mon 6 Aug 12
D360
says...
3:57pm Mon 6 Aug 12
getThisCoalitionOut wrote:I don't think this is the story to be trying to make political points on, especially when you know nothing of the circumstances
Maybe this was another of the governments victims from having his benefits stopped - ATOS are forcing many sick and disabled people to commit suicide.
John Fallon
says...
4:16pm Mon 6 Aug 12
getThisCoalitionOut wrote:And maybe you're a nasty little political hack who has no sense of when it's appropriate to comment and when it isn't.
Maybe this was another of the governments victims from having his benefits stopped - ATOS are forcing many sick and disabled people to commit suicide.
Jostro
says...
9:20pm Mon 6 Aug 12
John Fallon wrote:Well said. My thoughts and best wishes to the family.
getThisCoalitionOut wrote:And maybe you're a nasty little political hack who has no sense of when it's appropriate to comment and when it isn't.
Maybe this was another of the governments victims from having his benefits stopped - ATOS are forcing many sick and disabled people to commit suicide.
Vigilia
says...
10:49pm Mon 6 Aug 12
getThisCoalitionOut wrote:Quote your evidence please.
Maybe this was another of the governments victims from having his benefits stopped - ATOS are forcing many sick and disabled people to commit suicide.
mimseycal
says...
11:27pm Mon 6 Aug 12
Vigilia wrote:Evidence? There isn't any.
getThisCoalitionOut wrote:Quote your evidence please.
Maybe this was another of the governments victims from having his benefits stopped - ATOS are forcing many sick and disabled people to commit suicide.
mimseycal
says...
12:34am Tue 7 Aug 12
Helena Handcart
says...
10:37am Tue 7 Aug 12
D360 wrote:Or to be pedantic or your usual obnoxious self on eh? Plod
getThisCoalitionOut wrote:I don't think this is the story to be trying to make political points on, especially when you know nothing of the circumstances
Maybe this was another of the governments victims from having his benefits stopped - ATOS are forcing many sick and disabled people to commit suicide.
RogerWQ
says...
1:46pm Tue 7 Aug 12
boblat
says...
2:17pm Tue 7 Aug 12
boblat
says...
2:17pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Goldenwight says...
10:01am Mon 6 Aug 12
How, exactly, do we know this? There are certainly no comments from "horrified day-trippers" included in the story. Did he fall or did he jump?