A BRITISH grandmother’s death has sparked protests around a Spanish campsite after the heartbreaking reason for her passing was revealed.
Margaret Stewart, 82, took her own life at the campsite in the Cartagena area of Murcia because she was worried about her future.
Margaret had lived with her 89-year-old husband Collin at the naturist site for 36 years.
The Olive Press reported Margaret and Collin had sunk all their money into their Spanish home over three and a half decades.
Members of the Cala Morena Association have gathered at the El Portus campsite demanding justice for Margaret.
Photos have emerged from a protest on Sunday, with people holding up signs saying “Justice for Margaret” with flowers painted beside her name.
Her body was found inside the home she shared with Collin on Friday evening.
The Guardia Civil has launched an investigation into her death.
Protesters claim Margaret’s mental state had suffered due to uncertainty over whether the couple could continue living at El Portus.
Two years ago, the site was purchased by Newton Capital S.L.
The company has since been accused of “flushing out” long term residents, as numbers decreased drastically over the last 18 months.
Where 400 long-term residents were recorded living at the site at the end of 2023, only 20 remain.
Allegations against the company include the use of illegal tactics and access restrictions, as well as the demolition of properties “for no good reason”.
Environmental activists say new replacement modular homes have had a negative impact on the area.
Newton Capital has denied these allegations, saying all the changes made have been legal.
It has also been alleged that the company has used violence against residents, in the form of forced evictions, claims which Newton Capital also has denied.
Miguel Alamagro, a close friend to the Stewarts, said they had suffered water and electricity cuts “for days at a time”.
He said the couple had lived in “constant fear they would lose access to their home if they went out.”
Javier Suarez, a protester and former resident of the campsite, said the Cartagena City Council had passed a motion in 2023 to mediate between Newton Capital and the residents.
“In the end there had to be a death and we don’t know what has to happen for this to be solved,” he said.
According to the council, the Stewarts had refused assistance on three occasions from the local social services department to find new accommodation.
“That was the solution put forward but did they really want to go somewhere that did not belong to them?” Suarez said.
“They just wanted to stay in their home and for someone to explain to them why they had to move.”
How to get help
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
