COASTGUARD RECOVERS CHARMAINE GEORGE'S BODY AT PORTREATH

HM Coastguard recovered the body of grief campaigner Charmaine Lyn George at Portreath beach in Cornwall on 5 October. A member of the public spotted her near Lighthouse Hill and contacted police, an inquest in Truro heard. Police said they did not treat her death as suspicious and had informed her next of kin. George’s son Ewan was found dead beneath cliffs at Portreath in May 2020 after camping with friends. She had described Lighthouse Hill as Ewan’s “happy place”.

After Ewan’s death, George joined the Good Grief Trust and helped establish its Good Grief Pop Up Cafes in Cornwall. The charity said she also helped develop the project elsewhere. In a tribute, the trust said George was “passionate to help others find vital support”. She received the Caroline Flack Mental Health Hero Award in 2021 for her work with the cafés. George also worked as a travel agent.

Assistant coroner Guy Davies opened an inquest into George’s death on 22 October. He adjourned the proceedings while investigators establish the legal cause of death. Davies said the investigation remained ongoing and the medical cause of death had yet to be determined. The hearing heard that restricted access to the beach led police to request help from HM Coastguard. Davies said a full inquest was expected next year.