Nicola Bulley latest news: Dogwalker’s cause of death revealed as Fitbit reported heart rate days after incident
Nicola Bulley was alive when she entered the water of the River Wyre and was not under the influence of alcohol, an inquest has heard.
Giving evidence at the two-day hearing, Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour said there is “no evidence” that Nicola Bulley was assaulted or harmed as her cause of death was confirmed as drowning.
The 45-year-old mortgage adviser disappeared on 27 January after dropping her two daughters, aged six and nine, at school and then taking her springer spaniel Willow for a walk along the river in St Michael’s on Wyre.
Pathologist Dr Alison Armour told the court: “Ms Bulley was alive when she entered the water – because it is an active process to swallow and inhale water into lungs. My opinion as to the cause of death is that it was drowning.”
The coroner asked if there was any evidence of third-party involvement in Ms Bulley’s death, to which Dr Armour said, in her opinion, “there was not”.
Her Fitbit was still attached to her wrist and is believed to have lost power on 4 February. On 27 January, Fitbit recorded 4,548 steps between 8am and 9.30am.
Key Points
‘No evidence’ Nicola Bulley was harmed as cause of death revealed
Nicola Bulley’s Fitbit reported heart rate 8 days after she drowned
Nicola Bulley’s cause of death was drowning
Nicola had not been drinking before her death, pathologist tells court
‘Almost freezing’ water was flowing ‘twice as fast’ on day Nicola died
‘Have you got lost?
11:42 , Matt Mathers
Nicola Bulley’s partner told the inquest into her death he believes she went to put a harness on her dog shortly before falling into the River Wyre, Holly Evans reports.
Ms Bulley’s mobile phone was still connected to a work Teams call when it was found on a bench overlooking the water.
Paul Ansell said: “She was still listening to that meeting, so I think she must have maybe put the phone on the bench and gone to put the harness back on Willow.”
On the day he sent her a text message saying: “Have you got lost?”
Ms Bulley’s husband raised concerns about her alcohol use days before she went missing
11:13 , Matt Mathers
Nicola Bulley’s husband raised concerns about her alcohol use days before she went missing, a mental health clinician has said. Holly Evans reports:
Theresa Lewis Leevy informed the inquest of a visit to Ms Bulley’s address on January 10.
"The information we received was the call from the family had been made in connection with Nikki’s increase alcohol use and were concerned about this and were looking for support around this," she said.
After arriving at 7.30pm, Ms Leevy was met by Ms Bulley’s husband, Paul Ansell and her sister Louise Cunningham, who expressed "general concerns for her welfare" and a recent increase in alcohol consumption.
Ms Bulley remained in the bedroom and appeared intoxicated and spoke of a loss in weight. When asked if she appeared depressed, Ms Leevy said: "No, not that I could ascertain at the time."
Ms Leevy offered advice to the family around alcohol use and but assessed there were no immediate risks and that Ms Bulley was “in no immediate harm from a mental health aspect”
‘Everything was on the up'
11:44 , Matt Mathers
When asked if he had any further to note about Ms Bulley’s mental state, her husband Paul Ansell, said: "Other than the blip over the Christmas period and in January she was back to herself, looking forward to the future and everything was on the up”. Holly Evans reports:
In terms of her behaviour in the week before January 27, he said: "She was doing good, she was getting back into her work, she was excited about her work and it was going really well. She’d worked so hard passing her exams, starting off on her exams and spent months last year doing an awful lot of hard work to build the business up and she was starting to see the rewards for that and generating business. She was excited with how it was looking."
Describing it as “just a normal morning”, Mr Ansell said that Ms Bulley had a positive business meeting the previous day and had been “full of beans”. She had been due to attend two meetings later that day with an estate agents company and had been “ready for the day ahead” and that “everything was in a good place”.
‘She was absolutely fuming with me'
11:33 , Matt Mathers
Speaking of the incident on January 10, Ms Cunningham said: “She was absolutely fuming with me to call the ambulance, she thought I was overreacting and maybe I was but she’s my sister and I wanted a professional opinion.
Holly Evans reports:
“From then, I think that was a realisation for her as she started to get back to normal.”
Over the following days, she completed two modules for a refresher financial course and received 90 per cent in both.
Ms Bulley had also planned a spa day with her sister and they had exchanged a number of messages on January 26 and the morning she disappeared.
“I confirmed that it was booked but she never picked up the message,” she tearfully said.
‘She was my big sister'
11:27 , Matt Mathers
Nicola Bulley’s sister told the inquest how her sibling was “very much a planner” who managed to successfully juggle work and family life, Holly Evans reports.
Becoming tearful, Ms Bulley’s sister Louise Cunningham said: “She was my big sister.
“She was very much a planner. I mean she’d started her career again, she was a busy mum juggling a career and family life. She always had things under control.”
She told the court that Ms Bulley would colour code everything in her calendar and had resat her exams to continue her career.
Describing her springer spaniel Willow as a "third child", Ms Cunningham said: "There’s no way Nikki would leave Willow alone by choice."
She said her sister spoke to her about having problems sleeping.
Asked if she spoke about menopausal symptoms with her, Ms Cunningham said: “She discussed having some symptoms with the HRT, it was back in the summer. She was having headaches, she couldn’t get the balance right, she mentioned having struggles sleeping. She was taking lavender spray, herbal tea, anything that would relax her before bed.”
Bulley presented with menopause symptoms in 2021
11:00 , Matt Mathers
Ms Bulley also began presenting with menopause symptoms in July 2021 and continued to present with anxiety and fatigue, Holly Evans reports.
The inquest heard she also became "emotional" during one meeting with the nurse practitioner regarding her menopause treatment.
She was also sent to A&E on January 11 due to an injury to her head after attending a walk-in centre after a fall, complaining of increased drowsiness and vomiting.
She was sent to A&E where a CT scan came back normal, the inquest heard.
Bulley first presented with low mood and anxiety in 2018
10:30 , Matt Mathers
Nicola Bulley first presented to her doctor with low mood and anxiety in December 2018, Holly Evans reports.
Ms Bulley’s GP, Dr Rebecca Gray, said: “Two months later in February 2019, she commenced on propranolol which is a beta-blocker.”
She added: “It’s used in anxiety and predominantly issues when there might be physical issues of anxiety like tremors. It was 40mg, one to two times a day.”
Security remains tight at inquest due to ‘unusual online commentary'
09:48 , Matt Mathers
The press room at Preston County Hall is gradually filling, with the inquest due to resume at 10am, Holly Evans reports.
Security remains tight at the entrance of the building due to the "unusual online commentary" around the case, with journalists and members of the public required to register and show proof of identity.
The family of Nicola Bulley have not yet been seen, although both her husband and sister are due to give evidence this morning.
Inquest to hear from husband and his sister
09:01 , Matt Mathers
Nicola Bulley’s husband Paul Ansell and his sister Louise Cunningham are due to give evidence at the inquest today.
Mr Ansell appeared on the media on several occasions appealing for information before his wife was found.
The inquest is due to resume later today.
Reasons why it may have taken so long to find Nicola Bulley’s body
08:00 , Matt Mathers
Nicola Bulley’s body was finally found on 19 February, around a mile away from where she was last seen on the river in St Michael’s on Wyre in Lancashire.
Bulley had disappeared on 27 January while walking her dog Willow after dropping her children off at school earlier that morning.
Police said two walkers, who used a path well trodden by officers, found her body, which was formally identified the following day.
Experts have said there are a number of reasons why Bulley might not have been found sooner.
“Although the area where she was found is just within the tidal section, I doubt she moved up and down the river very far,” a professor who studies rivers told The Daily Telegraph.
More here.
Three reasons why it may have taken so long to find Nicola Bulley’s body
ICYMI: What happened to Nicola Bulley? All we know about the Lancashire mother-of-two’s death
07:50 , Matt Mathers
Police who investigated the disappearance of Nicola Bulley issued a statement earlier this month to stamp out “speculation” after officers returned to the river where her body was found.
Police returned to the River Wyre in Lancashire in early April, six weeks after Ms Bulley’s body was found in the water, ahead of an inquest into her death which will be heard on Monday, 26 June at County Hall in Preston.
Lancashire Constabulary issued a statement, revealing why offier had returned to the scene.
Liam James reports:
ICYMI | Nicola Bulley police cleared by watchdog
07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Police who shared personal information about Nicola Bulley during the search for the late mother-of-two have been cleared by a watchdog.
Lancashire Constabulary faced investigations by three separate bodies into its handling of the case after coming under heavy criticism.
The force’s conduct was questioned by several high-ranking officers and public officials during the three-week search for the 45-year-old, whose body was pulled from the River Wyre in Lancashire on 19 February, after being last seen alive on 27 January.
Liam James has more.
Nicola Bulley police cleared by watchdog after sharing missing woman’s personal info
Recap: When did Nicola Bulley go missing? Timeline of the mystery as inquest enters day two
07:15 , Matt Mathers
The inquest into the death of mother-of-two Nicola Bulley is underway, beginning on Monday (26 June).
The 45-year-old vanished after dropping her daughters at school and then walking her dog along the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on 27 January.
Ms Bulley’s phone was found, apparently still connected to a Microsoft Teams work call, on a park bench nearby, along with the harness and lead for her dog, Willow, a springer spaniel.
Emily Atkinson and William Mata report:
When did Nicola Bulley go missing? Timeline of the mystery as inquest begins
Inquest to hear from Nicola Bulley’s husband and sister on second day
06:59 , Andy Gregory
The second day of the inquest is set to hear from Nicola Bulley’s GP, her sister Louise Cunningham and her husband Paul Ansell.
Here is everything we learned on Monday.
Nicola Bulley was alive and sober when she entered water, inquest reveals
06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Nicola Bulley was alive when she entered the water of the River Wyre and was not under the influence of alcohol, an inquest has heard.
Giving evidence at the two-day hearing, Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour said there is “no evidence” that Nicola Bulley was assaulted or harmed as her cause of death was confirmed as drowning.
The 45-year-old mortgage adviser disappeared on 27 January after dropping her two daughters, aged six and nine, at school and then taking her springer spaniel Willow for a walk along the river in St Michael’s on Wyre.
Holly Evans reports.
Nicola Bulley was alive and sober when she entered water, inquest reveals
Nicola Bulley was alive and sober when she entered water, inquest reveals
06:03 , Andy Gregory
With the second day of the inquest set to take place on Tuesday, my colleague Holly Evans has this comprehensive report on Monday’s proceedings:
Nicola Bulley was alive and sober when she entered water, inquest reveals
Nicola Bulley ‘could have started drowning within seconds of entering river’
05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Mother-of-two Nicola Bulley could have started drowning within seconds of entering the cold river where her body was found, the inquest into her death has heard.
Professor Michael Tipton, a world expert in drowning, said there would have been a “fairly rapid incapacitation” after Ms Bulley went into the River Wyre on the morning of 27 January.
It may have been just seconds before she began to lose consciousness, the hearing was told yesterday.
More here.
Nicola Bulley ‘could have started drowning within seconds of entering river’
What has the inquest been told about Nicola Bulley’s cause of death?
05:01 , William Mata
Home Office pathologist Alison 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.”
The coroner asked if there was any evidence of third-party involvement in Ms Bulley’s death, to which Dr Armour said, in her opinion, “there was not”. She also added there was no evidence Ms Bulley had been harmed by a third-party.
Police underwater search specialist Matthew Thackray told the inquest that Ms Bulley fell into the River Wyre before floating downstream.
He said: “There is a large vertical slope from the bench and into the water. 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.”
He estimated she would have floated at a “metre a second” downstream.
Nicola Bulley’s Fitbit reported heart rate 8 days after she drowned
04:34 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Nicola Bulley’s Fitbit gave a heart output eight days after she drowned, an inquest into her death heard.
The 45-year-old mortgage adviser disappeared on 27 January after dropping her two daughters, aged six and nine, at school and then taking her springer spaniel Willow for a walk along the river in St Michael’s on Wyre.
Her body was found on 19 February in the river about a mile from the bench where her phone was recovered.
The Fitbit was still attached to her wrist and is believed to have lost power on 4 February as no further data had been obtained beyond that point, Mirror reported.
On 27 January between 8am and 9.30am, the Fitbit recorded 4,548 steps. After 09.30, no further steps were recorded by the device.
C Keith Greenhalgh told the first day of the inquest that a possible reason behind the Fitbit continuing to provide output sporadically until 4 February could be a “result of the movement of water passing between the device and Nicola’s wrist.
“Testing on inanimate objects provided similar results when there was a movement in the water.”
Diving expert who led private search says he hasn’t been asked for evidence
04:12 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The diving specialist who led a private search for Nicola Bulley in Lancashire has said he has not been asked to give evidence at her inquest.
Peter Faulding, CEO of Specialist Group International (SGI), who had assisted police with previous missing persons investigations, was asked by Bulley’s family to help with the search after she disappeared near her home in St Michael’s on Wyre in January.
His team spent three days scanning a three-mile stretch of the River Wyre using sonar equipment, but did not find any trace of the mother-of-two in the section of the river they searched.
Lucy Skoulding reports.
Man who led private search for Nicola Bulley ‘hasn’t been asked for inquest evidence’
Inquiry will deal only with ‘proportionate evidence from reliable sources’, says coroner
03:56 , William Mata
Lancashire Police have previously said Nicola Bulley may have gone into the water due to an “issue” with her springer spaniel dog, Willow, and encouraged the public not to speculate.
Despite this, the community was forced to contend with DIY investigations from members of the public beyond what the police were attempting.
Her body was found on February 19 and the identification of her body was made by dental records and confirmed by Lancashire Constabulary the day after.
Dr James Adeley, senior coroner for Lancashire, said the inquest would deal with only “proportionate evidence from reliable sources and not to explore all the theories by those who contributed to social media”.
The coroner added: “At the centre of this inquest are two children who have lost their mother, a partner, and parents who have lost a daughter.”
Nicola Bulley: Everything we know from the inquest
02:49 , Andy Gregory
Proceedings have begun into the death of the 45-year-old and it has already revealed she was not under the influence of alcohol and there is “no evidence” she was assaulted or harmed.
The coroners’ court heard from neighbours who had seen Ms Bulley earlier on January 27 and also water experts who explained the effect of winter waters on the body.
In the hearing on Monday it was also said that her dog had been seen in a “giddy” state when spotted by another walker while the mother had been due to join friends for drinks.
My colleague William Mata has more:
Nicola Bulley: Everything we know from the inquest
Nicola Bulley police confirm reason for second river search
01:40 , Andy Gregory
Back in late April, police revealed why officers had returned to the scene of Nicola Bulley’s disappearance, and hit out at “misinformed speculation” over the renewed presence of officers on the River Wyre.
A Lancashire Constabulary diving team was recently seen in the water downstream from where police believe Ms Bulley, 45, went into the river in St Michael’s on Wyre on 27 January.
In a brief clip uploaded to YouTube by passerby Maria Solarz, the team could be seen wading in the water close to the bench where Ms Bulley’s phone and dog were found on the morning of her disappearance.
My colleague Liam James had the report:
Nicola Bulley police confirm reason for second river search
Where was Nicola Bulley’s body found?
Tuesday 27 June 2023 00:41 , Andy Gregory
No enforcement action against Lancashire Police over release of Nicola Bulley’s personal information
Monday 26 June 2023 23:33 , Andy Gregory
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will not be taking any enforcement action against Lancashire Police over its disclosure of Nicola Bulley’s personal information, the force said last month.
In an update issued on Tuesday 9 May, the Independent Office for Police Conduct also said its investigation into an officer’s contact with the mother prior to her disappearance identified two areas of learning.
The force came under heavy criticism after the 45-year-old’s body was pulled from the River Wyre in Lancashire on 19 February, more than three weeks after she was last seen on January 27.
My colleague Oliver Browning has more here:
No enforcement action over release of Nicola Bulley’s personal information
Diving expert who led private search for Nicola Bulley says he hasn’t been asked for evidence at inquest
Monday 26 June 2023 22:31 , Andy Gregory
The diving specialist who led a private search for Nicola Bulley in Lancashire has said he has not been asked to give evidence at her inquest.
Peter Faulding, CEO of Specialist Group International (SGI), who had assisted police with previous missing persons investigations, was asked by Ms Bulley’s family to help with the search after she disappeared near her home in St Michael’s on Wyre in January.
His team spent three days scanning a three-mile stretch of the River Wyre using sonar equipment, but did not find any trace of the mother-of-two in the section of the river they searched.
My colleague Lucy Skoulding reports:
Man who led private search for Nicola Bulley ‘hasn’t been asked for inquest evidence’
When did Nicola Bulley go missing? Timeline of the mystery as inquest begins
Monday 26 June 2023 21:25 , Andy Gregory
The inquest into the death of mother-of-two Nicola Bulley began on Monday.
Emily Atkinson and William Mata have a timeline of the case here:
When did Nicola Bulley go missing? Timeline of the mystery as inquest begins
Video report: Nicola Bulley died from drowning, inquest told
Monday 26 June 2023 20:16 , Andy Gregory
Nicola Bulley was not under influence of alcohol, post-mortem shows
Monday 26 June 2023 19:32 , Holly Evans
The post-mortem examination also found “very low levels of alcohol” in Ms Bulley’s blood, which indicated alcohol levels “in my opinion, consistent with microbiological post-mortem activity”.
Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour explained this is the release of alcohol by bacteria produced in the body when a person dies.
Therapeutic levels of beta blocker propranolol and painkiller paracetamol were also discovered.
Full report: Nicola Bulley was alive and sober when she entered water, inquest reveals
Monday 26 June 2023 19:01 , Andy Gregory
Nicola Bulley was alive when she entered the water of the River Wyre and was not under the influence of alcohol, an inquest has heard.
Giving evidence at the two-day hearing, Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour said there is “no evidence” that Nicola Bulley was assaulted or harmed as her cause of death was confirmed as drowning.
My colleague Holly Evans has the full report here:
Nicola Bulley was alive and sober when she entered water, inquest reveals
Nicola Bulley’s body would have sunk after she fell in
Monday 26 June 2023 18:33 , Andy Gregory
During today’s proceedings, an underwater search expert said Nicola Bulley's body may have sunk under the surface of the river after she fell in.
Dr Lorna Dennison Wilkins told the inquest in Preston: “Nikki might have had some buoyancy in her clothing which would have dispelled.
“Once that happened, she would have lost that buoyancy and her body would have sunk under the surface, was my assessment.”
No indication ‘whatsoever’ of third-party involvement, says senior officer
Monday 26 June 2023 18:05 , Andy Gregory
Rebecca Smith, Detective Superintendent of Lancashire Constabulary, was also asked if there was any indication of third-party involvement in Ms Bulley’s death, to which she replied: “None whatsoever.”
Ms Smith listed the items recovered with Ms Bulley’s body including her FitBit watch and a set of Mercedes car keys. She added Ms Bulley was not using headphones that day to listen to her Teams call.
Ms Smith told the court Ms Bulley dialled into her work Teams call at 9.01am, which Ms Bulley did not need to speak on, so she was muted. This call ended at 9.30am but she stayed logged in until 10.32am.
Coroner says Nicola Bulley ‘very possibly’ entered water at around 9:22am
Monday 26 June 2023 17:46 , Holly Evans
Towards the end of today’s proceedings, Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley asked: “Doing the best with your expertise, we could assume entry to the water was after 9.18am and before 9.30am and very possibly around 9.22am, but that’s as far as we can go realistically?
DC Keith Greenhalgh responded: “That is correct sir.”
Nicola Bulley inquest adjourns
Monday 26 June 2023 17:27 , Holly Evans
The inquest has now adjourned for the day and will resume at 10am tomorrow morning, where we are expected to hear from Ms Bulley's GP, her sister Louise Cunningham and her husband Paul Ansell.
Police offer explanation for heart rate data recorded sporadically on FitBit
Monday 26 June 2023 17:20 , Andy Gregory
Holly Evans reports:
As part of their investigation DC Greenhalgh, who works for the digital media investigation unit, retraced Ms Bulley’s suspected route with an iPhone to compare the data found on GPS satellites.
Her phone was recovered intact from the bench and there was no sign that it had entered the water.
Her FitBit was recovered from her body in the water, with Lancashire Constabulary later gaining access by using her email address. It is believed that the Fitbit had lost power on February 4 and that no further steps had been recorded beyond 9.30am on January 27.
The inquest heard that a possible explanation for heart rate data being recorded sporadically in the days after her disappearance was the movement of water passing between the FitBit and Ms Bulley’s wrist. Subsequent testing on inanimate objects has provided similar results when there was movement in the water.
Police give timeline of Nicola Bulley’s final movements
Monday 26 June 2023 16:57 , Andy Gregory
Rebecca Smith, Detective Superintendent of Lancashire Constabulary has given the court a detailed timeline of Ms Bulley’s final movements, reports my colleague Tara Cobham.
Ms Bulley left her home at 8.26am on 27 January and travelled the eight-minute journey to St Michaels on Wyre school.
Shortly after, Ms Bulley walks towards the river path and stops to play in a field by the river with her dog Willow at around 8.46am. She sends and receives a number of messages, including an email to her boss at Exclusive Mortgages, a WhatsApp message from her sister regarding a spa day, and a Facebook message to Lucie Musella arranging a playdate.
Claire Chesham is estimated to have had her final sighting of Ms Bulley at 9.10am.
Ms Bulley last interacted with her phone eight minutes later. Ms Bulley received another WhatsApp message about the spa day from her sister, Louise Cunningham, within the same minute of that last interaction.
Ms Bulley’s phone was shown to be in the area of the bench, where it was later found along with her dog, at 9.20am. Police believe it remains in the same place until it is moved at 10.33am by those trying to find out who the phone belongs to, including Susan and Roger Jones.
Ms Bulley’s husband Paul Ansell has made numerous unanswered calls to Ms Bulley during this time, including a message reading: “Have you got lost?”
Mr Ansell received a call from the school telling him about Willow and Ms Bulley's phone at 10.54am. A couple of minutes later he left the house and called Anne-Marie – the person who had recognised a photograph of Ms Bulley and her family on the phone lock screen – before calling 999 and reporting Ms Bulley as missing. He arrived in the area of the river at around 11.10am.
Nicola Bulley’s Fitbit and car keys discovered along with her body, senior officer says
Monday 26 June 2023 16:49 , Andy Gregory
Nicola Bulley's Fitbit watch and car keys were recovered along with her body, a senior police officer who investigated her disappearance said.
Asked what was found with her body on 19 February, Lancashire Police Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith told the inquest: “Her Fitbit watch and her set of Mercedes car keys.”
Two women heard a scream near riverside of morning of Bulley’s disappearance, inquest hears
Monday 26 June 2023 16:05 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Two women have told the inquest into the death of Nicola Bulley of hearing a scream near the riverside on the morning she vanished.
Nurse Helen O’Neill said she was with her dogs in the garden of her house on Allotment Lane, not far from a path that leads to the bench overlooking the River Wyre where Ms Bulley disappeared.
She told the inquest: “I heard a scream, it’s not an alarming noise, it was just over in a couple of seconds. I’m quite used to hearing the children in the school out back, but it was not that noise.
“I vividly remember thinking it’s unusual at this time. In my head, I had two females, walking along by the river and one jumped out on the other. I didn’t think anything of it until later on. There were no other sounds for me to be concerned about.”
A second witness, Veronica Claesen, a housewife and club secretary for the village tennis club, said: “I was just about to get into the car and I heard a scream. A very short scream and my immediate thought was, ‘Somebody is having a bit of fun at the back of the graveyard’.”
Ms Claesen said it was an “inhale scream” like a sharp intake of breath.
Another mother from school says nothing ‘unusual’ about Nicola’s behaviour on morning of disappearance
Monday 26 June 2023 15:55 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Another mother who saw Ms Bulley in the school car park told the inquest she noticed nothing “unusual” about her behaviour.
“She didn’t look anything, she looked vacant but that wasn’t unusual,” Veronica Claeson said. “No emotions, no sadness or happiness.”
After attending a meeting at the tennis club, Ms Claeson heard a scream while getting into her car.
“I was just about to get in my car and I heard a very short scream and my immediate thought was someone was having a bit of fun at the back of the graveyard. I got in my car and drove off.”
Mother at school said she heard a scream coming from the river
Monday 26 June 2023 15:41 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A mother at Ms Bulley’s children’s school has told the court she was in her back garden at 9.35am when she heard a scream coming from the direction of the river.
Helen O’Neill, whose garden backs on to Allotment Lane, said it was “quick, a high to low pitch and over in seconds”. It “was not alarming”, said the nurse, because she is used to hearing the sounds of children playing in the nearby school, although not usually at that time.
She said, “I pictured two female teenagers messing around on the river path, and there were no other sounds, so I didn’t think anything of it until later that night after speaking to Nikki’s dad and sister.”
Ms O’Neill said she last saw Ms Bulley when she was dropping her children off at school the morning of 27 January.
She said she was speaking to two friends in the school car park at just after 8.40am when she spotted Ms Bulley at the boot of her car with her dog Willow talking to somebody at the other side of the car park.
The coroner asked: “There wasn’t anything unusual you were aware of?” She said: “No.”
Monday 26 June 2023 15:26 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A retired care home worker, Susan Jones, was called shortly after 10am by Ms Fletcher and informed that a dog was tied to a bench near the river.
In turn, she contacted her husband Roger who was out walking their own dog, to ask him to check and identify its owners.
Mr Jones found Willow and Ms Bulley’s mobile phone, and asked his wife to make the 15-minute journey towards him to help establish who owned the missing possessions.
Once she checked the phone, she told the court that it “lit up” and her husband was able to identify the picture of Paul and his family.
Nicola’s dog was acting ‘giddy’
Monday 26 June 2023 15:12 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A woman has described the moment she discovered Nicola Bulley‘s phone and dog Willow.
Penny Fletcher, who runs a nearby campsite, told the inquest: “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 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 that she had gone missing.
Mother who received last text from Nicola gives evidence
Monday 26 June 2023 14:57 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Lucie Musella, a fellow mother with children at the same school as Ms Bulley’s daughters, said that she received a text message at 08.59am on January 27 from Ms Bulley on Facebook Messenger.
The two exchanged details about organising a playdate for their children, with Ms Bulley sending a time confirmation with a smiley face emoji just minutes before she was last sighted alive.
The inquest heard that a group of school mothers had also organised a social event for Saturday, January 28, with Ms Bulley “planning on coming for one or two”.
Mother at local school said she heard Nicola’s dog barking
Monday 26 June 2023 14:48 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Claire Cheshire, a mother at St Michaels on Wyre, Lancashire, which is the school of Ms Bulley’s two children, said she saw Ms Bulley outside the school gates on the morning of her disappearance, just after 8.35am.
Ms Cheshire, a sales executive, was talking with a group of mothers when Ms Bulley walked passed and greeted the group, before bending down say to hello to Ms Cheshire’s dog and smiling.
Ms Cheshire said this was “very normal behaviour” for Ms Bulley.
Ms Cheshire said she followed a similar path to Ms Bulley on her dog walk on 27 January on what was a “very quiet” morning.
Ms Cheshire spotted Ms Bulley when she heard Ms Bulley’s dog Willow barking “in vegetation a little bit behind Nikki”.
When the coroner asked if Ms Cheshire knew what Willow was barking at, Ms Cheshire said she did not know, although she had not seen anybody else.
She added: “Only five minutes before I’d walked past that section and not noticed anything unusual.”
Local saw ‘man in black’ at end of allotment lane on morning Nicola disappeared
Monday 26 June 2023 14:43 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
In a written statement, heating engineer Richard Fife confirmed that he saw Ms Bulley between 9.10am and 9.20am near the River Wyre.
While walking his dog, he also passed two other dog-walkers and a “man in black” who was standing at the end of the allotment lane.
While his dog attempted to approach Ms Bulley’s springer spaniel Willow, Mr Fife said that he was in “a rush” and did not speak to her.
“I could see she had her phone out in front of her and was looking at the screen. I could not see or hear if she was talking,” he said.
When leaving the area, Mr Fife noticed that the man wearing black clothes was still in the same location, which he found “quite strange” as he did not recognise him as a local. “
Once I found out that Nicola had gone missing, I was thinking about the day some more and I remembered the man in black and thought I’d tell the police incase it was useful,” he said.
Mother at Nicola’s children’s school said she saw ‘nothing of concern’ on the morning of her disappearance
Monday 26 June 2023 14:34 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A mother at Ms Bulley’s children’s school told the court she saw Ms Bulley with her dog in the school car park on the morning of her disappearance.
She said Ms Bulley was acting similar to how she would on any other day doing the school run, reporting “nothing of concern” in Ms Bulley’s demeanour.
“She appeared how she normally would,” said Ms Kiernan. “Nothing I’d think would be any different from a normal day.”
The pair had a light-hearted conversation about Ms Bulley’s dog Willow. The coroner asked if Ms Bulley had come across as anxious or in a low mood, to which Ms Kiernan replied she did not.
Nicola was a ‘holiday swimmer’ so ‘almost impossible’ to swim against fast current
Monday 26 June 2023 14:25 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The coroner has said Ms Bulley was a “holiday swimmer”. It has previously been established the water flow on 27 January was a metre per second.
Therefore, Ms Dennison Wilkins said it would have been “highly likely to be almost impossible to swim against the current”.
The coroner said Ms Bulley would also be making this decision while trying to hold her breathe and not drown.
Nicola Bulley may have had to hold breath for ‘one of two seconds at best'
Monday 26 June 2023 14:09 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Nicola Bulley may have only been able to hold her breath for “one or two seconds at best” in the river, an inquest into her death heard.
Cold water expert Dr Patrick Morgan said: “(After falling in) the heart rate goes excessively high, the blood pressure surges excessively high.
“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.”
Inquest has resumed
Monday 26 June 2023 14:06 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Inquest has resumed with Lorna Dennison Wilkins being sworn in to give evidence, she has been a serving police officer for 25 years.
Nicola Bulley died from drowning, inquest told
Monday 26 June 2023 13:20 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley died from drowning and was alive when she entered the water, the inquest into her death heard.
Home Office pathologist Alison Armour, who carried out the post-mortem examination on the body of Ms Bulley, 45, said the evidence of water in her lungs and stomach led her to conclude the cause of death was drowning, and there was no other “third party” involved in her death.
Ms Bulley vanished after dropping her daughters, aged six and nine, at school, then taking her usual dog walk along the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on January 27.
Nicola Bulley died from drowning, inquest told
Monday 26 June 2023 13:01 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
After two hours of evidence, the hearing is now breaking for a short adjournment over lunch. The hearing will resume at 1.50pm.
Nicola could have entered a state of ‘very rapid incapacitaion'
Monday 26 June 2023 12:56 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The doctors said Nicola Bulley could have entered a state of “very rapid incapacitation”.
They said: “In the worst case scenario, you’ve replaced the air in the lungs with water, then you don’t have that oxygen available to you.
“So then you might have as little as 25 seconds of consciousness. But not all of that might be useful consciousness.”
The coroner summarised: “So the best case scenario is, someone of Nikki’s build and weight and in a water temperature of 3.6 degrees, would have approximately 48 seconds before losing consciousness and in worst case scenario it’s 1 to 2 seconds.”
Doctors explain how body entering cold water can result in drowning
Monday 26 June 2023 12:48 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Professor Michael Tipton and Dr Patrick Morgan are giving evidence on how the body reacts to entering cold water and drowning.
They explained cold water shock describes the initial responses to immersion in cold water, which involves a rapid fall in body temperature, increased blood pressure and uncontrollable breathing.
When someone initially enters cold water there is an “uncontrollable breathe of up to two or three litres”, they said, adding that at 3.6 degrees, the water would have “provoked a particularly powerful response”.
In Ms Bulley’s case, at a weight of around 50kg, she would have inhaled one to two litres at that temperature, they explained.
Hence, they concluded, “It would only take one to two breathes to cross the lethal dose into drowning.”
The lethal does is around 2 litres of water for someone of that weight, with the initial gasp potentially taking you into that territory.
‘No evidence’ Nicola Bulley was harmed as cause of death revealed
Monday 26 June 2023 12:22 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
There is “no evidence” that Nicola Bulley was assaulted or harmed before she went into the River Wyre as her cause of death was confirmed as drowning, an inquest has heard.
The 45-year-old mortgage adviser disappeared on January 27 after dropping her two daughters, aged six and nine, at school and then taking her springer spaniel Willow for a walk along the river in St Michael’s on Wyre.
Her body was discovered in the water by a passer-by weeks later on February 19, just over a mile from where she was last seen.
Holly Evans reports live from the inquest:
‘No evidence’ Nicola Bulley was harmed before death as cause is revealed
Map shows exact location where Nicola’s body was found
Monday 26 June 2023 12:08 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The map below shows the exact location Nicola Bulley’s body was found in the River Wyre, and the location of the bench where her phone was found.
‘Almost freezing’ water was flowing ‘twice as fast’ on day Nicola died
Monday 26 June 2023 11:59 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The court is now being shown a video of the section of river where Nicola Bulley was last thought to be on its bank.
Mr Thackray is in the video standing in the middle of the river and saying the stream is currently pushing him downstream at “walking pace”.
The water on the 27 January was flowing at a faster pace, he said, “twice as fast”. 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.”
Nicola had not been drinking before her death, pathologist tells court
Monday 26 June 2023 11:48 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Nicola Bulley had not been drinking before her death, a Home Office pathologist said.
Dr James Adeley, senior coroner for Lancashire, 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.”
Court shown images of area of loose mud leading down to water
Monday 26 June 2023 11:44 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The court is now being shown images of the river and the section of the river bank where Ms Bulley is suspected of falling into the river.
Underwater specialist Matthew Thackray has pointed to an area of loose mud leading down to the water, with the bench visible along the path.
The 45-year-old’s phone, which was still connected to a Microsoft Teams call, was discovered there just minutes after she is believed to have entered the River Wyre.
Monday 26 June 2023 11:42 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The toxicology results found “very low levels of alcohol” in Ms Bulley’s blood, said Dr Armour, which indicated alcohol levels “in my opinion, consistent with microbiological post-mortem activity”.
She explained this is the release of alcohol by bacteria produced in the body when a person dies.
Mother-of-two discovered ‘cake in mud'
Monday 26 June 2023 11:37 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Giving evidence, Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour said that Ms Bulley had been discovered “caked in mud”.
Bruises were discovered on her lower limbs, including to the front of her shin and right knee. No signs of asphyxiation or haemorrhage were discovered, and when asked if there was any sign of trauma to the neck, she replied: “None whatsoever”.
Nicola ‘was alive when she entered the water,’ pathologist tells inquest
Monday 26 June 2023 11:34 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Pathologist Dr Alison Armour told the court: “Ms Bulley was alive when she entered the water - because it is an active process to swallow and inhale water into lungs. My opinion as to the cause of death is that it was drowning.”
The coroner asked if there was any evidence of third-party involvement in Ms Bulley’s death, to which Dr Armour said, in her opinion, “there was not”. She also added there was no evidence Ms Bulley had been harmed by a third party.
Nicola Bulley’s cause of death was drowning
Monday 26 June 2023 11:29 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Nicola Bulley’s cause of death was drowning, the inquest was told today.
Dr Alison Armour told the court: “I gave the cause of death as drowning. The watery fluid identified within the stomach and also in the lungs themselves are classical features as we see in cases of drowning.”
Coroner addresses intense media speculation and public interest
Monday 26 June 2023 11:07 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The coroner has referenced the intense media and public interest in Ms Bulley’s death. He said the inquest “is not designed to address social media issues” nor “to advance theories those on social media contribute to”.
As a result of the “substantial social media interest and unusual social media commentary” surrounding Ms Bulley’s death, said the coroner, Lancashire County Council thought it necessary to put in additional security measures to ensure the safety of everyone attending the inquest.
He added a warning, which he said he did not usually do: “If anyone has the slightest idea of disrupting this inquest, they should be aware that this should amount to contempt of court.”
Inquest begins as coroner passes condolences to Nicola’s family
Monday 26 June 2023 10:59 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The inquest has now begun as Tara Cobham and Holly Evans report live from Preston County Hall.
Coroner Dr James Adeley has taken his seat at the front of the council chamber. He passed on his condolences to Ms Bulley’s family, especially her two children.
Nicola Bulley’s family arrive in council chamber
Monday 26 June 2023 10:41 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The family is filing into the council chamber now, including Nicola Bulley’s husband Paul Ansell.
They were among a group that entered through the door on the right hand side and have taken their seats on the right of the chamber floor.
Nicola’s partner and sister to give evidence
Monday 26 June 2023 10:26 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Nicola Bulley‘s partner and sister are set to give evidence during the inquest into her death.
Paul Ansell and Louise Cunningham are both listed as witnesses, and are due to give evidence on Tuesday.
The County Hall in Preston was busy with members of the public and media on Monday morning ahead of the two-day hearing.
Groups of people file into chamber for inquest
Monday 26 June 2023 10:07 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Tara Cobham reports from the inquest in Preston:
Groups of people, who appear to be witnesses, are filing into the chamber floor for the inquest which is due to start imminently.
Sixteen witnesses to be heard from in inquest
Monday 26 June 2023 10:03 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
My colleagues Holly Evans and Tara Cobham are reporting live from the Nicola Bulley inquest in Preston.
The inquest is expected to hear from 16 witnesses today, including a Home Office pathologist, a specialist in body recovery from water, a leading detective from Lancashire Police and location experts who analysed Ms Bulley’s FitBit.
Friends of Ms Bulley are also due to give evidence as well as parents from her children’s school. Her husband, Paul Ansell, is listed to speak on Tuesday as part of the two-day hearing.
Diving expert who led private search for Nicola Bulley says he hasn’t been asked for evidence at inquest
Monday 26 June 2023 09:32 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The diving specialist who led a private search for Nicola Bulley in Lancashire has said he has not been asked to give evidence at her inquest.
Peter Faulding, CEO of Specialist Group International (SGI), who had assisted police with previous missing persons investigations, was asked by Ms Bulley’s family to help with the search after she disappeared near her home in St Michael’s on Wyre in January.
His team spent three days scanning a three-mile stretch of the River Wyre using sonar equipment, but did not find any trace of the mother-of-two in the section of the river they searched.
Man who led private search for Nicola Bulley ‘hasn’t been asked for inquest evidence’
Timeline of events after Nicola Bulley’s disappearance
Monday 26 June 2023 08:53 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Here is a timeline of events after her disappearance:
- January 27
8.26am - Ms Bulley left her home with her two daughters, aged six and nine, dropping them off at school and engaging in a brief conversation with another parent around 15 minutes later.
8.43am - She then took her spaniel, Willow, for a walk along the path by the River Wyre.
8.50am - A dog walker who knew her saw her, and their pets interacted briefly before they parted ways.
8.53am - Ms Bulley sent an email to her boss, followed by a message to her friends six minutes later.
9.01am - She logs on to a work Microsoft Teams call.
9.10am - Last known sighting of Ms Bulley by a second witness.
9.20am - Her phone was back in the area of the bench before the Teams call ended 10 minutes later, with her mobile remaining logged on after the call.
9.33am - Another dog walker found her phone on a bench beside the river, with her dog darting between the two.
10.50am - Ms Bulley‘s family and the school attended by her children were told about her disappearance. Police are called and she is deemed a “high risk” missing person.
- January 28
Lancashire Constabulary deployed drones, helicopters and police search dogs as part of the major missing person operation.
- January 29
Around 100 locals meet in the village hall to organise a search party. Police urge caution, describing the river and its banks as “extremely dangerous”.
- January 30
Police hold first press conference, Superintendent Sally Riley, from Lancashire Constabulary, said officers were “keeping a really open mind about what could have happened”, and that they were not treating Ms Bulley‘s disappearance as suspicious.
- January 31
Ms Bulley‘s family release a statement saying they had been “overwhelmed by the support” in their community, and that her daughters were “desperate to have their mummy back home safe”.
- February 1
Ms Bulley‘s parents, Ernest and Dot Bulley, tell the Daily Mirror of the “horror” they face over the possibility of never seeing her again.
- February 2
Officers from the North West Police Underwater and Marine support unit search the area close to where Ms Bulley‘s mobile phone was found.
- February 3
Lancashire Police said it was working on the hypothesis that Ms Bulley may have fallen into the River Wyre.
Supt Riley urged against speculation, but said it was “possible” that an “issue” with Ms Bulley‘s dog may have led her to the water’s edge.
- February 4
Ms Bulley‘s friend, Emma White, cast doubt on the police theory that she fell into a river, telling Sky News it was based on “limited information”.
In a Facebook post, Ms Bulley‘s sister Louise Cunningham urged people to “keep an open mind” as there is “no evidence whatsoever” her sister fell in the river.
- February 5
Peter Faulding, leader of underwater search experts Specialist Group International (SGI), began three days of searching the river after being called in by Ms Bulley‘s family - but nothing is found.
- February 6
Ms Bulley‘s partner Paul Ansell, in a statement released through Lancashire Police, said: “It’s been 10 days now since Nicola went missing and I have two little girls who miss their mummy desperately and who need her back.”
- February 10
Police urged people to refrain from indulging in commentary and conspiracy theories about Ms Bulley‘s disappearance as speculation increases online.
- February 15
Police hold a press conference at force HQ and reveal Ms Bulley was classed as a “high-risk” missing person immediately after she was reported missing due to “vulnerabilities”.
They later “clarify” the vulnerabilities and disclose Ms Bulley‘s struggles with alcohol and perimenopause.
- February 16
In a statement released through Lancashire Police, Ms Bulley‘s family said the focus had become “distracted from finding Nikki, and more about speculation and rumours into her private life” and called for it to end.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman demanded an “explanation” over the disclosure of Ms Bulley‘s private information by the force, following growing criticism of the move.
- February 17
Lancashire Police announced it was conducting an internal review into the handling of Ms Bulley‘s disappearance and the Information Commissioner said he would ask the force questions about the disclosure.
- February 18
Ms Braverman met with police leaders to discuss the handling of the investigation after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also expressed “concerns” about the revelations into Ms Bulley‘s private life.
- February 19
At 2.32pm, Lancashire Police reveals a body has been found in the river after it was called earlier that day at 11.36am to an area of the River Wyre, about a mile from where Ms Bulley first disappeared.
- February 20
The force confirmed the body had been identified as Ms Bulley.
In a statement, Ms Bulley‘s family said she was “the centre of our world”.
All we know about the death of Nicola Bulley
Monday 26 June 2023 08:16 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Nicola Bulley was last seen near the river at around 9.20am on Friday 27 January, after dropping her daughters, aged six and nine, at the school in the village.
She was understood to have been walking her dog Willow, a springer spaniel, along the River Wyre.
Around this time she sent an email and logged into a work call which ended 30 minutes later, though she remained logged onto the call.
Here is all we know:
All we know about the death of Nicola Bulley
Inquest begins into death of Nicola Bulley
Monday 26 June 2023 08:13 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The inquest into the death of mother-of-two Nicola Bulley will begin later on Monday.
Ms Bulley, 45, vanished after dropping her daughters, aged six and nine, at school, then taking her usual dog walk along the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on 27 January.
Her phone, still connected to a work Teams call, was found on a bench overlooking the water.
Ms Bulley, a mortgage adviser 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.
