Colleagues of a woman who died after falling down a flight of stairs at her home in Ely have paid tribute to a ‘highly valued’ member of the team.

Rachel Fuller, 49, was found dead at her home, in Lisle Lane, on May 26, sparking a police investigation.

But officers ruled that there was no foul play and the case was passed to William Morris, coroner for North and East Cambridgeshire, who opened an inquest into the death on Friday, in Huntingdon.

The 49-year-old’s cause of death was listed as a head injury “consistent with a fall”.

The inquest was adjourned and is expected to resume on August 20.

Ms Fuller worked as a development officer for the Heritage Lottery Fund and had been involved in East Cambridgeshire with a series of projects, including the Horseman’s Word – a project looking at the history of the heavy horse, and the people who kept them.

She had also recently launched a new project which enabled primary school pupils in Wisbech to look in detail at the events of the First World War.

A spokesman for the Heritage Lottery Fund, said: “Rachel was highly valued by her colleagues at Heritage Lottery Fund who are deeply saddened by the news. We will miss her greatly. Our thoughts are with Rachel’s family at this time.”