Emma Bundy, 24, fell from a bridge on the A379 pedestrian bridge at Sandy Park, Exeter – a distressed Emma had gone to the bridge after a drunken row with her boyfriend
A young woman died when she fell from a pedestrian overbridge following a drunken row with her boyfriend at a work Christmas party.
Emma Bundy, 24, had gone on to the safety rail on the A379 pedestrian bridge at Sandy Park in Exeter. A stranger who saw her tried to save her from falling onto the dual carriageway below.
The incident occurred when Emma, an assistant site manager at Bovis Homes, had been at a works do at the Sandy park conference venue, the home of the Exeter Chiefs rugby club.
An inquest heard Emma had a drunken row with her boyfriend over something a work colleague had said to her. After the argument, she ran towards the suspension bridge.
George Harris was waiting to pick up di daughter, who was working at the even, when he saw a distressed looking Emma heading to the bridge and her boyfriend Billy Fleming running after her.
Mr Harris said Mr Fleming returned on his own and was “dismissive” when he asked if Emma was ok. He said Mr Fleming described Emma as “off her head”.
Mr Harris heard Emma crying and saw her “hanging by her hands with her legs off the side”. He said Emma was “hysterical, crying and screaming” and told her to “please hang on” after he grabbed her wrists.
He was Emma was “not making any sense” as he held on for two to three minutes. It was then she slipped from his grip and plunged onto the road below.
She died from wounds to her chest and neck.
Emma’s brother Shane said Emma was happy in her relationship with Mr Fleming and they had moved in together seven months prior to her death in Barnstaple, Devon.
Shane, who said his sister was “beautiful, kind and popular”, said two glasses of wine made her drunk and Mr Fleming tended to walk away if she had taken alcohol because it caused arguments.
A work colleague said the delayed works Christmas part took place on January 31, 2025. She said Emma “looked amazing and was hard to miss” in the red dress she attended the black tie event in.
The colleague siad that before midnight Emma was very drunk and in the toilets upset and crying, referring to someone who could “be so mean”.
Mr Fleming, Emma’s boyfriend, said she “could not cope with alcohol” and had drunk two bottles of white wine
Mr Fleming said Emma had a conversation with a man at the do and he had walked away because of something that was said. Emma and the man ended up having a row, with her swinging her handbag at his chin.
After leaving Emma by the bridge, he had returned to their hotel room, where police later informed him what had happened.
Mr Fleming said Emma was “beautiful, kind hearted and would move mountains for anyone” and that he loved her.
Senior Devon coroner Philip Spinney recorded an accidental death conclusion.
He said:” She did not intentionally end her life. She was trying to stop herself from falling. It is unclear how she came to be on the wrong side of the safety barriers and was trying to stop herself falling.
“She was upset at something a work colleague had said earlier that evening.”
He said Emma had drunk a large amount of alcohol and only argued with her partner when she ad been drinking.
Mr Spinney said:”It is more likely than not she acted impulsively and did not intend to end her life, this was a tragic accident.”
Emma was 2.5 times the legal drink drive limit when she died, toxicology tests showed. This impacted on her decision making.
