ANSWERS FOR NICOLA
Nicola Bulley coroner reveals official verdict after tearful inquest hears how mum was ‘excited’ before she vanished
TRAGIC Nicola Bulley drowned after accidentally falling into cold water while out walking her dog, a coroner ruled today.
The mum-of-two, 45, vanished in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on January 27, after dropping her daughters off at school.
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Tragically, her body was found in the river on February 19 - three weeks after she vanished.
Coroner Dr James Adeley has now ruled Nicola's death was an accident after she fell in the water and suffered "cold water shock".
The verdict brings an end to speculation that has surrounded the mortgage adviser's mysterious disappearance.
The coroner said the river bank where Nicola fell had an "almost vertical drop".
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Dr Adeley explained the current on the day she drowned would have made it "almost impossible" for her to get out the water.
He said due to the temperature of the river, Nicola could have gasped as she entered and inhaled a lethal dose of two litres of water.
This meant she would already be dead by the time she reached a point she could stand 40 metres away, the coroner added.
Dr Adeley said he is unable to determine exactly why Nicola entered the water but ruled there was "an absence of any evidence" of suicide.
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It comes as...
- Nicola's cause of death was revealed for the first time as drowning
- An expert said the mum likely died in "two breaths"
- Nicola's Fitbit was still recording movement eight days after she disappeared
- Her terrifying final moments were recreated by a police diver
- Nicola's sister wept as she revealed the mum would never leave dog Willow unattended
- Partner Paul Ansell told how Nicola had been 'excited' for life and 'full of beans' the night before she vanished
- He also gave his own theory behind why Nicola's phone was found on a bench
He found there was no sign of natural causes and the only remaining conclusion is an accidental death.
Nicola's family released a statement after the verdict saying the last few months had been "extremely tough to process".
They added: "The emotional impact will stay long in our hearts and whilst we’ll never get over the loss of our Nikki, we will forever remember her as the brilliant mum, partner, daughter and sister that we all knew and loved so very much.
"The help and support we have received over these few months has meant more than words can say. From family and friends, to complete strangers across the country and world, thank you.
"Nikki and Paul’s girls have already taken great comfort in the deeply thoughtful gifts sent to them in goodwill, and in time they will read the many cards which are filled with such kindness and love."
The family also told how they are still receiving "negative targeted messages" and "still witness wildly inaccurate speculation" on social media.
The statement continued: "We encourage people to look at the facts, the evidence which has been heard during the inquest, and the conclusion reached by the Coroner, to ignore any amateur views and opinions, and be mindful of the impact words bring.
"Now we need to be allowed time to comprehend all of the events leading up to this day."
Lancashire Police head of crime, Detective Chief Superintendent Pauline Stables, also said she hoped the conclusion would put an end to "ill-informed speculation and conspiracy theories".
The two-day inquest in Preston's County Hall has heard from medical experts, emotional family members and police.
Formal proceedings began yesterday when Nicola's cause of death was revealed for the first time as drowning.
Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour, who carried out the autopsy, said she believed Nicola was alive when she entered the water.
The expert also confirmed there was no sign she had been assaulted before her death or that a third party was involved.
Instead, the inquest was also told it is likely Nicola fell into the River Wyre from a "cliff-edge drop".
Once in the water, she travelled at a "metre a second" downstream in the "steady flow" of the river.
Diving expert Professor Mike Tipton said she would have lost consciousness almost instantly as a result of the 4C temperature of the river.
He also suggested she would have drowned in "one or two breaths" and died "in less than ten minutes".
Her Fitbit watch and Mercedes car keys were discovered three weeks later when her Nicola's body was recovered.
The watch had stopped recording Nicola's steps at 9.30am on the day she disappeared.
Police confirmed that following analysis of her iPhone and Fitbit watch data, she “very possibly” entered the water at 9.22am.
Nicola's disappearance gripped the nation after it was revealed her mobile was found on a bench by the river still connected to a work conference call.
Nicola's was also discovered - but there was no trace still of the mum-of-two.
The case saw the tiny village of St Michael’s on Wyre flooded with amateur sleuths and armchair detectives all desperate to solve the mystery.
Front gardens were trampled on by social media ghouls and family and friends targeted as rumours reached fever pitch.
Fuel was added to the fire when Lancashire Police disclosed painfully personal details of Nicola's struggle with alcohol and the perimenopause.
They confirmed she had "vulnerabilities" at the time she disappeared and was a high-risk missing person.
But Nicola's family today told how she had struggled with her mental health but was in good spirits, making plans for the future and looking forward to life after the so-called "blip".
Partner Paul Ansell said Nicola was "full of beans" on the night before her disappearance and had a "good day" planning meetings.
He added: "She was getting back into her work, she was excited, it was going really well.
"She had worked so hard. She was happy about earning her own money and getting that independence again."
Paul confirmed the morning Nicola vanished was "normal" as the mum dropped their children off at school before heading to the field where she would usually do a two-loop walk.
He then told how he messaged his partner at 10.30am - around an hour after Nicola is believed to have fallen in the river.
Paul wrote: "Have you got lost?"
He received a phonecall 20 minutes later from the children's school saying Nicola's phone and dog Willow had been found.
Paul then broke down and had to leave the room as he told how Nicola's daughters were her "absolute world".
After returning, he added: "She was grateful for every day, she was an amazing mum and partner and this gave her huge security.
"She focused on the important things and did the right thing by everyone.
"She was well-respected by all who knew her. Everybody loved her."
Nicola's sister Louise also grew emotional during her own evidence as she paid tribute to the "absolutely brilliant" mum.
She told how Nicola was just returning to her "normal self" following a "blip" with her struggles, which came as a result of hormone replacement therapy and the perimenopause.
Louise also said dog Willow was like Nicola's "third child" as she told how her sister "never, ever confided" in her about having suicidal thoughts.
Dr Adeley asked: "If this was something she had thought about, taking her own life, would she just leave the dog in the field and go?"
Louise replied: "Absolutely not. There is no way Nikki would leave Willow unattended."
The inquest was told police had attended a report of concern for welfare at Nicola’s home on January 10 but no arrests were made.
Louise had called a mental health team asking for "some assistance".
The family were concerned with the mum's increased alcohol use and had said she "didn't want to be here", it was said.
Louise added: "It was a bit of a wake-up call for her I think. She was fuming with me for calling the ambulance, she thought I had overreacted and maybe I did, but she is my sister and I was concerned.
"She started to get back to normal after that."
The following day, the mum went to a walk-in centre saying she had had fallen and banged her head the previous night .
Nicola also complained she was feeling drowsy and had been sick.
She was sent to A&E at Blackpool Victoria Infirmary where a CT scan found no internal injuries.
The hearing was also told Nicola had been struggling with sleep previously and her "brain felt overloaded".
Her former GP Dr Rebecca Gray said there was "nothing" in Nicola's medical records to suggest she was suicidal or intending self-harm.
The huge search for Nicola was brought to a tragic end on February 19 as police were scrambled to a different section of the river.
Two dog walkers discovered her body less than a mile from where she was last seen.
The heartbreaking discovery came after what officers had branded a "hugely complex and highly emotional" search.
At the time, Nicola's family said their "worst fears had been confirmed".
A statement added: "We will never be able to comprehend what Nikki had gone through in her last moments and that will never leave us.
"We will never forget Nikki, how could we, she was the centre of our world, she was the one who made our lives so special and nothing will cast a shadow over that.
"Our girls will get the support they need from the people who love them the most."
They added: ";Our hearts truly break for others who have missing loved ones. Keep that hope alive.
"Finally, Nikki, you are no longer a missing person, you have been found, we can let you rest now.
"We love you, always have and always will, we'll take it from here."
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