A RECLUSIVE elderly spinster starved herself to death at her home, an inquest in Maidstone was told.

Vivien Grout, 77, of Upper Fant Road, Maidstone, weighed just three stone two pounds when she died. Recording a verdict of death by self-neglect, the coroner, Roger Sykes, said: "This is the first such verdict that I have ever recorded in some 16 years.

"She was a lady who chose to keep herself to herself. If neighbours had known of her plight I am sure they would have done what they could to help her."

A post mortem examination on Miss Grout's body concluded that her death was due to the eating disorder anorexia.

Her body mass index, a measurement used to gauge the seriousness weight problems, gave a reading of 7.5. Readings of between 20 and 25 are considered normal and anything below 16 indicates severe malnutrition.

Miss Grout's body was found by police in August after neighbours raised concerns for her welfare.