Woman dies after fall from balcony

A woman has died after falling off a mezzanine balcony at a Tauranga airport hangar.

Seonaidh Mann-Pittams, 43, a Scottish-born mother and artist from Welcome Bay in Bay of Plenty, was socialising with friends when she lost her balance and fell over the balcony's edge onto a concrete floor early on Saturday.

Police say she suffered extensive head injuries and never regained consciousness, dying in Tauranga Hospital later that day.

"Basically she leant back and fell onto the guard rail of the balcony and onto the floor. It was a freak accident really," said Detective Sergeant Mel Ridley.

Police are investigating the fall, but it was not being treated as suspicious.

Mrs Mann-Pittams' husband John, a 46-year-old salesman, today broke down as he talked about his wife -- the "feisty Scot" who had "miles of friends".

"She was only about six and a half stone (41.5kg), so she wasn't a big girl, but ... she had the presence of a 20 stoner," he said. "She was different you know. She had a viewpoint and she stuck with it. She was staunch."

The couple moved to the Bay of Plenty 12 years ago after marrying two years earlier in Scotland.

Mrs Mann-Pittams' family are desperately trying to book flights to come to New Zealand for her funeral -- probably to be held late this week.

Tauranga Airport Authority Board chairman and city mayor Stuart Crosby said the accident took place inside a privately owned hangar.

Police and coroner were investigating the death.

- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES