This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-66018326
The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Nicola Bulley died by drowning, inquest hears | Nicola Bulley died by drowning, inquest hears |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Nicola Bulley was last seen during a riverside walk on 27 January | Nicola Bulley was last seen during a riverside walk on 27 January |
| Nicola Bulley died as a result of drowning and there was no evidence she had been harmed before she fell into the water, her inquest has heard. | |
| The 45-year-old went missing from St Michael's on Wyre in Lancashire in January, prompting a major search. | The 45-year-old went missing from St Michael's on Wyre in Lancashire in January, prompting a major search. |
| It took more than three weeks for her body to be found in the River Wyre - a mile away from where she was last seen. | It took more than three weeks for her body to be found in the River Wyre - a mile away from where she was last seen. |
| The inquest also heard from various passers-by who saw Ms Bulley, with one saying she looked "absolutely idyllic". | |
| Another described her as "not happy" but "not sad". | |
| Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour, giving evidence at the hearing in County Hall, Preston, said there was "no evidence" of any third-party involvement. | |
| The pathologist also said Ms Bulley had not been drinking before her death. | The pathologist also said Ms Bulley had not been drinking before her death. |
| Coroner Dr James Adeley asked her: "At the time of her death she had no alcohol in her bloodstream?" | Coroner Dr James Adeley asked her: "At the time of her death she had no alcohol in her bloodstream?" |
| Dr Armour replied: "That's my opinion." | Dr Armour replied: "That's my opinion." |
| Nicola Bulley's mobile phone was found on bench near the spot where she was last seen | Nicola Bulley's mobile phone was found on bench near the spot where she was last seen |
| The pathologist also dismissed any third party involvement or that any harm had come to Ms Bulley on the morning of her death. | The pathologist also dismissed any third party involvement or that any harm had come to Ms Bulley on the morning of her death. |
| Paracetamol and a prescription beta-blocker called propranolol were also found but in very small amounts, not considered to be an "overdose", she said. | Paracetamol and a prescription beta-blocker called propranolol were also found but in very small amounts, not considered to be an "overdose", she said. |
| She noted Ms Bulley's body had clearly been in the river for a period of time. | She noted Ms Bulley's body had clearly been in the river for a period of time. |
| Dr Armour said: "I conclude the cause of death as drowning. The lungs themselves showed classical features we see in drownings. | |
| "In my opinion, Nicola Bulley was alive when she entered the water." | |
| Ms Bulley's partner Paul Ansell and sister Louise Cunningham are among the witnesses set to give evidence at the two-day hearing. | Ms Bulley's partner Paul Ansell and sister Louise Cunningham are among the witnesses set to give evidence at the two-day hearing. |
| The mortgage advisor's disappearance led to intense public interest, criticism of police and media, and a social media frenzy of conspiracy theories. | The mortgage advisor's disappearance led to intense public interest, criticism of police and media, and a social media frenzy of conspiracy theories. |
| Lancashire Police came under fire after revealing Ms Bulley's struggles with alcohol and perimenopause. | Lancashire Police came under fire after revealing Ms Bulley's struggles with alcohol and perimenopause. |
| She vanished while walking her dog by the river after dropping off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school. | She vanished while walking her dog by the river after dropping off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school. |
| Nicola Bulley's inquest is expected to last two days | Nicola Bulley's inquest is expected to last two days |
| Her dog was found shortly afterwards and her mobile phone was discovered on a bench overlooking the water - still connected to a work conference call. | Her dog was found shortly afterwards and her mobile phone was discovered on a bench overlooking the water - still connected to a work conference call. |
| A police underwater search specialist said he believed Ms Bulley fell into the river before floating downstream. | A police underwater search specialist said he believed Ms Bulley fell into the river before floating downstream. |
| In a video shown to the court, PC Matthew Thackray said: "There is a large vertical slope from the bench and into the water. | In a video shown to the court, PC Matthew Thackray said: "There is a large vertical slope from the bench and into the water. |
| "On the day there was a steady flow downstream. | "On the day there was a steady flow downstream. |
| "The river was 4C, so almost freezing, and if she fell in the muscles would probably seize making it difficult to swim properly." | "The river was 4C, so almost freezing, and if she fell in the muscles would probably seize making it difficult to swim properly." |
| He estimated she would have floated at a "metre a second" downstream. | He estimated she would have floated at a "metre a second" downstream. |
| Nicola Bulley family 'agony' after a body is found | Nicola Bulley family 'agony' after a body is found |
| Nicola Bulley: Why can it take so long to find bodies? | Nicola Bulley: Why can it take so long to find bodies? |
| Why TikTok sleuths descended on Nicola Bulley’s village | Why TikTok sleuths descended on Nicola Bulley’s village |
| Prof Michael Tipton, from the University of Portsmouth who supports search and rescue operators such as the RNLI, said just two breaths of water would have been a "lethal dose". | Prof Michael Tipton, from the University of Portsmouth who supports search and rescue operators such as the RNLI, said just two breaths of water would have been a "lethal dose". |
| "We estimate the temperature would have been around 3 to 5C, so there would be a particularly powerful cold-shock response," he said. | "We estimate the temperature would have been around 3 to 5C, so there would be a particularly powerful cold-shock response," he said. |
| He added that there would have been a "fairly rapid incapacitation". | |
| A mother who bumped into Ms Bulley on the morning of her disappearance said she felt there was "nothing of concern". | |
| Kay Kiernan, a receptionist, told the inquest she spoke to Ms Bulley about her dog Willow while dropping off her children at school at just after 08:30 GMT. | |
| She said: "She was not happy, but who is on a Friday-morning school run? She wasn't sad, just how I normally knew her." | |
| A statement from an eye-witness Richard Fife, a local heating engineer, said he saw a "man in black" waiting on the road and two other dog-walkers - one man and one woman, both of whom Mr Fife said he knew by sight. | |
| He then saw Ms Bulley holding her phone out in front of her, something he had seen her do a few times before, but said it was too far away to hear if she was talking. | |
| As he returned toward his car, he saw the man in black again. He said this struck him as odd as he did not recognise the man, and that some days later, after Ms Bulley was reported missing, he mentioned the man to police in case it was of value. | |
| The inquest has heard from various passers-by who saw Ms Bulley before she disappeared | |
| Claire Chesham described seeing Ms Bulley twice during the route she took. | |
| The women had a brief exchange with their dogs, something they would do on a regular basis, she said. | |
| Ms Chesham described her view of Ms Bulley as "absolutely idyllic" and Willow was on a long lead and playing. | |
| She said she had not noticed "anything unusual" about either the location or Ms Bulley, and the only other people she saw were familiar to her. | |
| Penny Fletcher described the moment she discovered Ms Bulley's phone and dog. | |
| Ms Fletcher, who runs a nearby campsite, said: "I saw a springer spaniel loose, it was near the bench and going right towards the river where it drops down very steeply. | |
| "I wouldn't say it was acting chaotic at all, it was a bit giddy, yes." | |
| Ms Fletcher said she found the phone, as well as a dog harness, and tied Willow to the bench. | |
| She later found out it was Ms Bulley's dog and heard she had gone missing. | |
| Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk | Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Inskip | Inskip |
| St Michaels on Wyre | St Michaels on Wyre |
| Nicola Bulley disappearance | Nicola Bulley disappearance |