Nicola Bulley latest — Inquest rules on cause of death as family reveal her future plans before tragic accident
MOTHER-OF-TWO Nicola Bulley drowned after entering cold river water in what a coroner has ruled an accidental death.
Nicola's disappearance after her mobile was found on a bench next to a river and today marked the second and final day of the inquest.
During proceedings, Nicola's emotional family gave evidence ahead of the coroner's decision.
Nicola's partner Paul Ansell told how Nicola was planning to take their daughter to a gymnastics competition the following day
While her sister, Louise Cunningham, sobbed as she recalled plans the pair had made to visit a spa together.
Read our Nicola Bulley blog below for the latest updates...
Nicola Bulley cause of death revealed as inquest into missing mum’s death begins
Nicola Bulley died from drowning and was alive when she entered the water before she vanished, an inquest heard today.
The mum-of-two, 45, was last seen in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on January 27.
disappearance sparked a social media frenzy as ghouls descended on the village to solve the mystery.
Tragically, her body was found in the river on February 19 – three weeks after she .
The items found with Nicola Bulley
A police officer has said Nicola Bulley’s Fitbit watch and Mercedes car keys were recovered along with her body.
Paul Ansell called 999 at 11am
The inquest has looked at the timeline of calls Nicola Bulley's partner Paul made on the morning she went missing.
Paul Ansell tried to get in touch with Nicola six times on the morning of her disappearance.
Failing this, Paul called 999 at 11am.
Nicola's clothing may have helped her float, inquest hears
Dr Lorna Dennison Wilkins, who works across several police forces across the country, has been giving evidence at Nicola Bulley's inquest today.
She said Nicola's clothes may have initially helped her float, before hindering her ability to escape the current.
She said: “She might have had some buoyancy in her clothing - but after that her body would have become negatively buoyant so would have sunk under the surface, in my assessment.”
Who is Paul Ansell?
Paul Ansell is the long-term partner of Nicola Bulley.
The couple had been together for 12 years and have two daughters together.
He lives in Lancashire, where Paul works as an engineer.
Witness says they heard a scream on morning of Nicola's disappearance
Veronica Claesen has told of how she heard a scream on the morning of Nicola's disappearance but thought it was children playing.
She said she thought it could be "children having fun at the back of the graveyard."
Witness discusses seeing Nicola's dog on morning she vanished
Penny Fletcher is now addressing the court as part of Nicola Bulley's inquest.
“I saw this springer spaniel loose - it was near the bench and it was going right-handed towards the river where it drops down very steeply," she said.
“It wasn’t doing anything chaotic, it was a bit giddy.
“I saw a mobile phone on the bench and I saw between the bench and a river a bundle in the grass, I thought ‘I wonder what that was and it was one of these dog harness things’. I did not find any lead, just a harness.”
Nicola Bulley 'not obviously happy but not sad'
Kay Kiernan, who is giving evidence at Nicola Bulley's inquest, has said the mother-of-two was "not obviously happy" on the day she vanished.
She said Nicola was “not obviously happy but who is on a Friday morning school run but not sad”.
'A very quiet morning'
Another local giving evidence, Claire Chesham, has spoken of how normal the morning of Nicola's disappearance seemed.
She said: “It was a very quiet morning. I think there was another dog walker but they left the field.
"I was keeping an eye on the gate because another mum was considering walking down but she didn’t enter and I didn’t see anyone enter.”
Nicola 'seemed normal' on the morning of her disappearance, inquest hears
Kay Kiernan has spoken of how Nicola Bulley "seemed normal" when she saw her on the morning of her disappearance.
“She was how I would normally know her.
"Her mannerisms were normal. I had a chat with Nikki about dogs.”
Nicola Bulley ‘died in two breaths’ as cop reveals mum’s final moments after ‘cliff-edge’ fall into 4C water
Nicola Bulley died in "two breaths" in less than seconds after falling in 4C water, an inquest heard today.
The mum-of-two's final moments were revealed after she fell into the River Wyre from a "cliff-edge drop" on January 27.
Inquest resumes
Dr James Adeley is back after the afternoon break to give evidence in the inquest into Nicola Bulley's death.
This morning's proceedings saw coroners confirm Bulley's cause of death was drowning and that it is believed she had not consumed alcohol before passing away.
Nicola's final moments
The mum-of-two's final moments were revealed after she fell into the River Wyre from a "cliff-edge drop" on January 27.
Once in the water, Nicola, 45, travelled at a "metre a second" downstream in the "steady flow" of the river, the inquest heard.
The court was told the water was just 4C when Nicola vanished, which is cold enough to lead to cold water shock and cause a person's muscles to seize up.
Diving expert Professor Mike Tipton said she would have lost consciousness almost instantly.
He also suggested she would have drowned in "one or two breaths" due to her size and the temperature of the water.
Police search
Back in April police shot down claims they were searching for a specific object in the river where the mum was found.
Specialist divers were seen searching the River Wyre to try to confirm her cause of death.
There was speculation officers were searching for a specific item in the water but Lancashire Police quashed the rumour.
Who is Paul Ansell?
Paul Ansell is the long-term partner of Nicola Bulley.
The couple had been together for 12 years and have two daughters together.
He lives in Lancashire, where Paul works as an engineer.
The inquest has been paused
There is now a break in proceedings.
The inquest will resume at 1:50pm.
Nicola Bulley 'had a gasp response' once entering the water
Professor Tipton said: “In my opinion, given the nature of the likely entry into the water.
"I would suspect Nikki had a gasp response under the water, initiating the drowing process. On the balance of probaility there was a fairly rapid incapacitation due to the cold shock.”
Dr Patrick Morgan also explained that time which you could hold your breath in this temperature of water is less than 10 seconds.
'Powerful cold shock response'
When discussing the temperatures of the water, Professor Tipton said: “There would be a particularly powerful cold shock response".
He added that it would have taken one of two breaths of the water to be a lethal dose of drowning when considering the size of Nicola.
Nicola had not been drinking
Dr Armour confirmed Nicola had not been drinking before her death.
The inquest also heard from PC Matthew Thackray from the North West Police Underwater Search & Marine Unit, who described the drop into the water where Nicola vanished as a "cliff edge".
When asked if it would be possible to climb out of the river once in, he added: "No not at all… it's very difficult to get out of the water here.
"There is nothing to grab hold of to help yourself back out."
Next witnesses to speak
Professor Michael Tipton and Dr Patrick Morgan will now give evidence on how the body reacts to entering cold water and drowning.
'Very difficult' for Nicola to climb out of the water
PC Matthew Thackray of Lancashire Police spoke today of how hard it would have been for Nicola Bulley to pull herself out of the water.
When asked if it would be possible to climb out of the river once in, he added: "No not at all… it's very difficult to get out of the water here.
"There is nothing to grab hold of to help yourself back out."
Nicola Bulley was deemed 'high risk'
Nicola was deemed a "high-risk" missing person when she vanished due to a "number of specific vulnerabilities".
This means there was a "real and immediate danger" to Nicola's safety or that of the public.
DS Smith said: "That is normal for a missing person with the information we were in possession of."
She confirmed this decision was made after speaking to Nicola's boyfriend Paul but initially refused to go into more detail.
DS Smith described the matter as "personal and private", adding that she wanted to respect the family, who are going through "unimaginable pain and distress".
Water was 'almost freezing' on day of Nicola Bulley's disappearance
PC Matthew Thackray of Lancashire Police has spoken of the water conditions on the day of Nicola Bulley's disappearance.
The water was 4C on the day in question, he said, “very cold, almost freezing”.
“If you fell in accidentally, cold water shock would have probably taken effect - which causes muscles to seize and you can’t swim properly," he added.
What was Nicola Bulley's cause of death?
Nicola Bulley 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.
Nicola Bulley's family addressed in court
Nicola Bulley's family was addressed by the coroner ahead of the inquest into her death.
Dr James Adeley, senior coroner for Lancashire, told members of her family, who were in court: "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.