The inquest into the death of Nicola Bulley has begun and here's everything we know so far.

Mark Williams-Thomas, Newsquest's Group Investigations Editor is attending the inquest and is providing updates via Twitter.

Bulley, 45, went missing whilst on a dog walk by the River Wyre after dropping her two daughters off at school on January 27, 2023.

Her body was later found and recovered from the river near where she went missing on February 19, 2023.

Nicola Bulley’s partner Paul Ansell attended the inquest along with her parents and sister.

The mother-of-two was identified by her dental records after her body was found in the River Wyre on February 19, 2023.

The inquest began at the County Hall, Preston, before Dr James Adeley, Senior Coroner for Lancashire on Monday, June 26 and is expected to last two days.

Nicola Bulley's autopsy report reveals cause of death

The inquest has revealed her cause of death to be drowning with the coroner revealing she was alive when she entered the water.

Home Office pathologist Alison Armour, who carried out the post-mortem examination has said that the evidence of water in her lungs and stomach led her to conclude the cause of death was drowning.

The Pathologist has also explained that there was no other “third party” involved in her death.

Midweek Herald: The inquest into Nicola Bulley's death began today at County Hall in Preston, LancashireThe inquest into Nicola Bulley's death began today at County Hall in Preston, Lancashire (Image: Danny Lawson/PA Wire)

Nicola Bulley's lungs were both enlarged and there was no injury to her neck or any fractures to the remainder of her body.

The senior coroner for Lancashire, Dr James Adeley, also asked Dr Alison Armour: “At the time of her death she had no alcohol in her bloodstream?”

Dr Armour replied: “That’s my opinion.”

Underwater search specialist gives evidence

A police underwater search specialist has also given evidence as part of the inquest where he explained that he believes Nicola Bulley fell into the River Wyre before floating downstream.

A video of PC Matthew Thackray in St Michael’s on Wyre in Lancashire, where Ms Bulley is believed to have fallen in, was also shown to the court.

In the video, 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.”

The expert also estimated that she would have floated at a “metre a second” downstream.

In his update, Mark Williams-Thomas shared that the diving officer says water flow speed was quicker on the day of Bulley's disappearance.

Compared to the estimated current at 2 knots when the video was taken.

The diving officer continued in the video saying that after about three and a half minutes, he reaches a place where he can stand.

Depth and temperature of River Wyre discussed

Both the depth and temperature of the water were also discussed during the inquest.

In Mark Williams-Thomas's report, the diving officer said that the depth of the water by the bench is 4.6m at its deepest.

In the update, Williams-Thomas continued: "Experience says if a person fell in they would try to get back out where they fell in."

Additionally, Professor Michael Tipton has explained to the court that two breaths of water would have been a “lethal dose” for Nicola Bulley.

The Professor commented: “We estimate the temperature would have been around 3 to 5C (in the River Wyre), so there would be a particularly powerful cold-shock response.

“For somebody of Nicola’s size, it would have taken one or two breaths of water to be a lethal dose.”

He also told the inquest in Preston: “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 drowning process.

“On the balance of probability, there was a fairly rapid incapacitation due to the cold shock.”

The inquest also heard that it could have been an estimated “20 to 30 seconds” before she lost consciousness.

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 also explained to the court what happens to a person's heart rate and blood pressure in cold water.

Dr 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.”