A terminally ill man drove his car off a cliff at a beauty spot.
Terry Windsor was found at the bottom
of a 150ft drop after ending a life
blighted by lung cancer.
The 65-year-old, who was dependent
on oxygen, took two cylinders of the gas
to enable him to complete his final
journey.
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A police community support officer
found Mr Windsor's car about 500m east
of the Bastion Steps, below Steyning
Avenue in Peacehaven.
Mr Windsor's family, who live in East
Grinstead, reported him missing after
realising his Renault Laguna was not at
his Peacehaven caravan.
PCSO Chris Marchant checked along
the cliffs and made the gruesome find
within 25 minutes of the report being made.
Sergeant Robin Fuller, of Sussex
Police, told The Argus: "He was having
a look in that area in case and he looked
down and saw the vehicle."
A man matching Mr Windsor's
description was found in the driver's
seat of the car and the body was later
formally identified.
A helicopter was used to take the
body to the top of the cliffs.
Sgt Fuller said police were not treating
the death as suspicious.
Councillor Ian Buchanan, the Mayor
of Peacehaven, told The Argus he could
remember two similar incidents in
which elderly or terminally ill men had
driven their cars over the cliffs in the area.
He said: "Everyone's hearts go out to
the poor man's family.
"It is a tragedy. What a terrible way
to go. You have got to be at the end of
your tether to say you're not going to
wait for the end, you're going to end it now.
"He is at peace but those he has left
behind will be traumatised and those
are the people I am thinking of now."
Mr Windsor's car was discovered at
about 5.45pm last Tuesday but police
have only just released details of the incident.
Staff at Rushey Hill Caravan Park in
Peacehaven said Mr Windsor was well
known at the site but declined to comment further.
On Saturday, a 46-year-old woman
from Essex killed herself further along
the coast at Beachy Head.
Julie White, 46, from Shrewburyness
plunged from the clifftop at 3.15pm.
Sussex Police and the coastguard
worked together to recover Mrs White's
body. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detective Sergeant Ian Williams, who
dealt with the case for Sussex Police,
said: "She and her husband had been
the Brighton for the day and decided to
go on the scenic coast road home.
"They happened to stop off at Beachy
Head. We do not know how many
people were up there at the time.
"Her death is not being treated as suspicious
and the matter is in the hands of the coroner."
Police are appealing for witnesses to
contact them on 0845 6070999.
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