Hayling Island sudden death: Police preparing coroner’s report as death at children’s home deemed non-suspicious

Emergency services were called to Poppy Lodge in Church Road, in Hayling Island at 1.07pm yesterday following the fatality. 

Paramedics and up to 15 firefighters attended the scene and assisted with the investigation. 

Following an investigation at Poppy Lodge yesterday, police have insisted there is no risk to the public after an unknown substance was found at the children’s home. 

However the death is not being treated as suspicious and a report is being prepared by police for the coroners. 

The identify of the person who suddenly died is not known. 

A spokeswoman for Poppy Lodge, the home, said: ‘An active investigation is currently being conducted by Hampshire police and we are unable to comment at this time.’

Poppy Lodge is run by Hillcrest Children’s Services Ltd and provides care and accommodation for up to seven young men with complex difficulties.

It is rated outstanding by Ofsted, who last inspected in September last year.

But in a recommendation inspectors said staff should ‘continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them’.

A South Central Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: ‘I can confirm that we were called to that road today for a medical emergency at 12.56pm.

‘We had an ambulance crew, Hazardous Area Response Team and two ambulance officers on scene assessing one patient who had sadly passed away at the scene.’

Following the sudden death yesterday, residents spoke of their shock at the news. 

Dennis King, 86, said: 'It was our granddaughter who first notified us there was a problem. I looked outside to see a traffic jam on the road and a fire engine parked right outside our house.

‘I looked down the street and could see all the flashing blue lights from the police cars and ambulances.

‘I spoke to someone on the street who initially said they thought it was a fire. I am shocked to hear they are investigating a sudden death.’