Inquest hears how fall from tree killed Lincoln woman Rebecca Kelly

A security worker described as "an extrovert in life" died from a severe head injury after falling from a tree, an inquest heard.

Rebecca Kelly, 24, had lived at the family home in Lincoln until months prior to moving to Leeds where the accident happened in September last year.

A toxicology report found there to be 80 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of her blood, the legal drink drive limit.

There were also traces of ecstasy, consistent with her having taken one tablet.

An inquest at Leeds Coroner's Court heard that Miss Kelly had planned to attend the premiere of a film that she and a friend had been extras in on September 7.

But they missed their train to Sheffield and instead decided to stay in Leeds and go to the pub.

The pair then returned to Miss Kelly's friends' house, where they continued drinking before heading to a social club.

Miss Kelly's friend took a phone call which meant he left her for around 45 minutes.

When he returned, they decided to move on and Miss Kelly then told her friend she had taken an ecstasy tablet.

They approached Moorland Road, where they decided to climb a tree.

The friend tried first, falling into bushes before Miss Kelly climbed to a height of 13 metres – almost 43 feet – before being joined by her friend.

They sat talking and then, it is believed, a branch snapped, causing Miss Kelly to fall to the ground.

The inquest heard from Doctor Richard Shepherd, who carried out the post-mortem examination. He said Miss Kelly suffered cuts and scrapes as well as serious head injuries.

"She had a number of scrapes and scratches but nothing that was not consistent with a fall from a height," he said.

"There was extensive fracturing of her skull and she had been subject to surgery.

"Her left arm and pelvis were also fractured.

"A sample of blood was taken both in hospital and during my examination and there was a low level of alcohol present.

"There were also levels of ecstasy."

In a statement read out at the hearing on March 19, Paula Ward, Miss Kelly's mother, paid tribute to her daughter.

"I would describe her as a free spirit," she said.

"She wanted to move to a bigger city as there were more job opportunities.

"We had a great relationship and could talk about most things."

When delivering a verdict of death by misadventure, David Hinchliff, coroner for the eastern district of West Yorkshire, said the decision to climb the tree was probably not because of the alcohol or ecstasy in Miss Kelly's system.

"She did have alcohol in her system but when you consider she had been socialising for quite some time it was quite a low amount," he said.

"Although she had ecstasy in her system, whether that stimulated her to climb the tree I cannot say.

"It was probably one of those things you do on the spur of the moment."