Sussex cottage death woman may have been 'pushed'

A woman found dead in her cottage in West Sussex could have been pushed down the stairs, police have revealed.

Lorraine Head, 46, known as George to friends, was found at the bottom of the stairs at her house in Rogate, Chichester, on Friday at 2130 BST.

A post-mortem examination showed she died from a head injury.

Sussex Police said her death was being treated as suspicions and a 57-year-old local man arrested on suspicion of murder had been bailed until 7 July.

Ms Head is believed to have died in the three-hour period before her body was discovered at her cottage in King's Head Mews.

The force said there had been no sign of a break-in at her home.

Det Ch Insp Steve Johns said: "Lorraine's injury is consistent with her having fallen down the stairs and at this stage one of our principal lines of inquiry is focussed on the possible reasons for that.

"We have already received a great deal of help from people in the village but if anyone does have further information we would like to hear from them."

He added: "Rogate is a close-knit community and George, Lorraine Head, was well known there.

"Villagers will have been very upset at the news but we would like to reassure them that this was an isolated event, the background to which has not yet been fully established but are working hard to get to the truth of the matter."