Nicola Bulley cause of death revealed as inquest hears mum was alive when she entered water – and doc rules out assault
MISSING Nicola Bulley died from drowning and was alive when she entered the water, 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 mum-of-two had to be identified through her dental records after the sad discovery was made.
A full, two-day inquest into Nicola's death opened today at Preston's County Hall in front of partner Paul Ansell, sister Louise Cunningham and parents Ernest and Dot Bulley.
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The family wept as they heard harrowing details of the mum's final moments.
Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour, who carried out a post mortem on Nicola, gave her cause of death as drowning.
The expert said she believed Nicola was alive when she entered the water and confirmed there was no sign she had been assaulted before her death and no indication of third party involvement.
Dr Armour said the internal examination found “classic signs” of asphyxia, which happens when the body is deprived of oxygen, but there was no sign of trauma to Nicola's neck.
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The court was also told "flecks and fragments of dirt" were found inside Nicola's throat and there was water in and around her lungs, which are "typical features" seen in drowning.
Nicola also had several bruises on her body - including on her right arm - and "therapeutic levels" of a beta blocker in her system.
Dr Armour confirmed Nicola had not been drinking before her death.
The inquest also heard from diving expert Professor Mike Tipton, who said Nicola would have lost consciousness almost instantly.
He also suggested she would have drowned in "one or two breaths" in less than ten seconds due to her size and the temperature of the water.
Professor Tipton added: "The lethal dose of water into the lungs, with freshwater, is two litres.
"In that first breath [for a person of similar weight to Nikki] you would have taken in 1-2 litres. So it would only take maybe one or two breaths to cross the lethal dose."
While cold water expert Dr Patrick Morgan explained how a person falling into cold water will suffer an "excessively high" heart rate as their blood pressure surges.
He added: "The heart pumps no blood and the brain switches off. The potential conscious time here quoted are optimistic... it is potentially shorter.
"On the occasion that the individual has taken that initial gasp on the surface of the water and then gone below, the duration would be 10 seconds that you could hold your breath and very likely one or two seconds at best."
PC Matthew Thackray from the North West Police Underwater Search &; Marine Unit, described the drop into the water where Nicola vanished as a "cliff edge" as he gave evidence.
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."
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.
It would have taken two to three minutes to reach a point where Nicola could climb out the river, which PC Thackray said was an "awfully long time in very cold water".
The officer estimated she would have floated at a "metre a second" downstream as there was a "steady flow" that day.
He added: "It's my belief that if she did fall in she was probably floating and being pushed along the flow."
Partner Paul and sister Louise will also give evidence at the hearing alongside police divers, medical experts and bystanders.
Coroner Dr James Adeley told the family at the start of proceedings: "I am sorry that you are attending court under these circumstances.
"You have my deepest condolences and I would be grateful if you would pass that onto the children who are not in court for obvious reasons.”
Mortgage adviser Nicola after dropping her two daughters, aged six and nine, off at school.
Her 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.
Richard Fife, who was walking his dogs close to the field where Nicola was last seen, told the hearing about a mysterious "man in black".
The witness said he saw the 6ft 1ins figure walking towards the fields and assumed he was waiting for a lift.
Mr Fife saw him again on his way back from the walk and thought it was strange he was still there.
He said he reported the sighting to police after learning Nicola had gone missing.
Another witness, Kay Kiernan, said there was "nothing of concern" when she bumped into Nicola on the morning of her disappearance.
While pal Lucy said she heard from Nicola moments before her disappearance about a playdate she was organising for their daughters.
Lucy had messaged Nicola back to confirm and received a message back at 8.59am confirming a time, followed by a smiley face emoji.
During the search, Lancashire Police refused to waiver from their that she fell in the river.
But Nicola's family including partner Paul said they did not believe the theory and urged people to continue searching.
They also hired dive expert , who used £50,000 sonar equipment to scour the water.
He later pulled out of the hunt, saying he did not believe Nicola was in the river as she could have "stood up" if she fell in.
Pressure is now mounting on Lancashire Police over Nicola's disappearance after a series of blunders during the probe.
The mum's body was found by two dog walkers less than a mile from where she was last seen despite a "hugely complex and highly emotional" search.
Timeline of Nicola's disappearance
January 27:
8.26am- Nicola leaves her home address with her children
8.40am- The mum drops the children off at school and has a brief conversation with another parent.
8.43am – Nicola walked along the path by the River Wyre towards the gate/bench into the lower field, having dropped her children off at school
8:47am (approximately) - A dog-walker – somebody who knows Nicola – saw her walking around the lower field with her dog. Their two dogs interacted briefly before the witness left the field via the river path
8.53am – She sent an email to her boss
8.59 am- Nicola sent message to a friend
9.01am – She logged into a Teams call
9.10am (approximately) – A witness – somebody who knows Nicola – saw her on the upper field walking her dog, Willow. Work is ongoing today to establish exactly what time this was.
9.20- Her phone was back in the area of the bench
9.30am – The Teams call ended but Nicola stayed logged on
9.33am (approximately) – Nicola’s mobile phone and Willow were found at a bench by the river by another dog-walker.
The force also came under fire for disclosing painfully personal details of Nicola's struggle with alcohol and the perimenopause.
They confirmed she had "vulnerabilities" at the time she went missing and was a high-risk missing person.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak were among officials questioning why the information was revealed.
The police watchdog also launched a probe into a "welfare check" carried out at Nicola's home just 17 days before she vanished.
An independent review is also being carried out over the force's handling of the case after being ordered by Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden.
The inquest continues.
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