A top city lawyer came home from court to find his wife dead on the kitchen floor, an inquest heard.

Retired crown court barrister Denzil Pugh discovered Madelaine at their home in Waltham after returning from a trial at Canterbury Crown Court. She was 57.

Mrs Pugh, who worked as an antiques dealer in the city, was about to visit her son in Canterbury when she suffered a sudden stroke and died.

Canterbury Coroners’ Court heard Mr Pugh last saw his wife on the morning of her death when she was working on the computer.

He said: “I was mid-trial at the time but I saw her in the morning before I left for court. She was using the computer and was fully functioning.

“It was normal practice for Madelaine to go into Canterbury about midday and drop in to see our son, who lives in the city centre.

“My speculation was that she was ringing our son to say she was coming into Canterbury at the time.”

Evidence showed Mrs Pugh had sent an email to a friend at 11am, with medical experts estimating she may have died just an hour later.

Pathologist Salim Anjarwalla said Mrs Pugh suffered a spontaneous stroke with internal tests showing a swollen brain and signs of bronchitis.

A post-mortem concluded she died of a brain haemorrhage caused by high blood pressure.

The inquest heard she had complained of dizzy spells and vertigo in the week leading up to her death.

Mr Pugh asked Mr Anjarwalla if any lifestyle factors such as alcohol could have played a part in his wife’s death, but the pathologist said it had no impact.

In a statement read out in court, doctors at The Surgery in Chilham said they were stunned to hear of Mrs Pugh’s death.

Her GP Dale Kinnersley said: “All of the staff have been shocked and saddened by this event.”

Mrs Pugh died on February 12. Deputy coroner James Dillon recorded a verdict of natural causes.