A SUSSEX charity has paid tribute to a ‘devoted and caring’ disability campaigner who died after being found with severe injuries in her home.

Detectives are carrying out a murder inquiry after the death of Jackie Hoadley in Eastbourne on Sunday afternoon.

The 58-year-old had two children at the Chailey Heritage Foundation, a charity which provides education and care services for children and young people with complex neurodisabilities.

A spokeswoman for the charity said: “We are very sad to confirm that Jackie Hoadley, who died in Eastbourne on July 5, was the mother of two young people at Chailey Heritage Foundation.

“Our whole community is deeply saddened by the tragic situation and our thoughts and condolences are with the family and Jackie’s friends at this time.

“We would like to pay tribute to Jackie as a devoted and caring mother and a committed campaigner for the rights of disabled children.

“She was well known by many of the parents at Chailey Heritage and she will be sorely missed by so many people.”

She added: “Our main priority now is to support Jackie’s two children and the staff who work closely with them at this incredibly difficult time.”

Jackie was a friend of Carole Oram, the charity’s parent governor.

She said “Jackie was an ‘institution’. She gave so much to so many people and she fought for what was right for our disabled children.

“We are all devastated.”

Jackie was a tireless campaigner for people with disabilities.

Last year, a petition she started which called on the Government to provide incontinence pads to children with disabilities was signed more than 88,600 times.

But, shortly before 2pm on Sunday, a visitor to her Eastbourne home raised the alarm and police were called to the scene.

Detective chief inspector Andy Wolstenholme from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team said “she had suffered serious injuries and, sadly, was declared deceased at the scene”.

An hour later, a 62-year-old man was arrested at the Chailey Heritage Foundation site, about 25-miles away, on suspicion of her murder.

The foundation has confirmed there was an “incident” in the grounds of the site in Sussex but said procedures were in place to keep everyone safe.

A spokesman said: “Sussex Police arrived on site and apprehended the individual.

“We take the safety of all of those at Chailey Heritage as paramount and we had procedures in place should an incident like this occur.

“These procedures were activated immediately and the young people and their support workers were kept safe.

“No-one was harmed and all the young people who reside on site and the staff remained safe in their bungalows.

“Sussex Police secured the site and we are assisting them with their investigations.

“We are also liaising with and notifying all other necessary statutory bodies.”

This morning, a Sussex Police spokesman said: “Detectives were granted a 36 hours extension on Tuesday night to continue interviewing the man arrested on suspicion of the murder of Jackie Hoadley.”