Nicola Bulley’s partner and family arrive at her inquest as coroner is told the mother-of-two, 45, was ‘alive when she entered the water’ and died by drowning
- Ms Bulley vanished after walking her dog walk along River Wyre on January 27
- Her body was found on February 19 around a mile from where she disappeared
Nicola Bulley was alive when she fell in the River Wyre, had not been drinking and died by drowning with no sign of foul play, her inquest heard today.
Dr Alison Armour, giving evidence at an inquest at County Hall in Preston, that there was ‘no evidence’ the mother-of two was harmed before she vanished on January 27.
Ms Bulley’s partner Paul Ansell and her family attended her inquest this morning. Dr James Adeley, senior coroner for Lancashire, told them: ‘I’m sorry that you are attending this court under these circumstances.’ He was told to refer to Ms Bulley as Nikki during the hearing.
She died as a result of drowning and was alive when she fell into the water, a Home Office pathologist has said.
Dr Alison Armour, giving evidence at an inquest at County Hall in Preston, said watery fluid and fragments of dirt found inside Ms Bulley’s body were ‘typical features we see in cases of drowning’.
She added that Ms Bulley was alive when she entered the water and that there was ‘no evidence’ she was harmed. Nikki had not been drinking before her death, a Home Office pathologist then said.
Dr Adeley asked Dr Alison Armour, who was giving evidence at an inquest at County Hall in Preston: ‘At the time of her death she had no alcohol in her bloodstream?’ Dr Armour replied: ‘That’s my opinion.’
Mother-of-two Nicola Bulley, 45, vanished while walking her dog in Lancashire on January 27
Paul Ansell, Ms Bulley’s partner of 12 years, gave TV interviews appealing for help
A police diving team at the River Wyre near St Michael’s-on-Wyre in Lancashire on February 19
The 45-year-old mortgage adviser’s body was found in the River Wyre in Lancashire on February 19 – around a mile from where she vanished on January 27.
Ms Bulley’s phone was found on a bench overlooking the water in the village of St Michael’s-on-Wyre, while still connected to a work Teams call.
Her disappearance after taking her usual dog walk led to intense public interest, a conspiratorial social media frenzy, criticism of police and questions in Parliament.
Ms Bulley, originally from near Chelmsford but living in Inskip, was immediately deemed a ‘high risk’ missing person, sparking a huge police search operation, with hundreds of local search volunteers and intense media and public interest.
Private underwater search specialists were also called in by her family amid social media speculation fuelling waves of sightseers and content creators visiting the scene.
Police and TV broadcasters faced criticism after her body was found in the river around a mile downstream from the bench, on February 19.
Officers had urged people not to speculate about the disappearance and maintained from early on there were no suspicious circumstances and that Ms Bulley may have gone into the water due to an ‘issue’ with her springer spaniel, Willow.
Ms Bulley’s family and friends said they did not believe the police ‘theory’ and urged people to continue searching.
A PSCO walks towards an appeal poster for Ms Bulley in St Michael’s-on-Wyre in February
Assistant Chief Constable Peter Lawson (left) and Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith (right) of Lancashire Police update the media in St Michael’s-on-Wyre on February 15
Paul Ansell, her partner of 12 years, gave TV interviews appealing for help – saying their daughters wanted their mummy home.
As the days passed and speculation continued online, Lancashire Police revealed Ms Bulley had struggled with alcohol and perimenopause.
This prompted widespread criticism for disclosing her personal information, with Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak questioned about the police approach and the force facing investigation.
On February 19, Lancashire Police revealed a body had been found in the river after it was called earlier that day to an area about a mile from where Ms Bulley vanished.
An independent review of Lancashire Police’s handling of the case is currently under way by the College of Policing, ordered by Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden.
Friends of Ms Bulley hold missing person appeal posters in St Michael’s-on-Wyre in February
A search on the River Wyre in Lancashire after Ms Bulley went missing earlier this year
Part of the review will include inquiries made by the Information Commissioner’s Office over the force’s disclosure of Ms Bulley’s personal information.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct also looked at a welfare check on Ms Bulley carried out by police 17 days before she went missing.
Media watchdog Ofcom is also in contact with both ITV and Sky after criticism of the broadcasters by Ms Bulley’s family.
The inquest, expected to last two days, will begin today at the County Hall, Preston, before Dr James Adeley, Senior Coroner for Lancashire.