Nicola Bulley looking forward to future, says partner

By Lynette Horsburgh

BBC News

Nicola Bulley had been “looking forward to the future” before her disappearance, her partner has told her inquest.

The mother-of-two was last seen in St Michael’s on Wyre on 27 January prompting a major search.

Her body was found in the River Wyre more than three weeks later.

Paul Ansell, giving evidence at the inquest, said she had a “blip” over the Christmas period but in January she was back to herself.

He said: “She had a good day the day before [she went missing], came home full of beans, excited with work, with the meetings she had and plans for the year.”

Dr James Adeley, senior coroner for Lancashire, asked Mr Ansell if Ms Bulley had any suicidal thoughts.

Mr Ansell replied: “There were a couple of throwaway comments during the blip period but nothing that gave me any concern.”

He broke down in tears during his evidence and had to leave the room.

Mr Ansell said: “She was an incredible mum.”

“Nikki was a quiet person who enjoyed the simple side of life. She was a very private person and kept herself to herself,” he said.

Ms Bulley’s younger sister Louise Cunningham told Preston Coroner’s Court she “always had things under her control”.

She said her sister was “very much a planner” as the “busy mum” and juggled a career and family life.

Ms Cunningham said: “Nikki was my big sister. Very much a planner.

“She started her career again, a busy mum, as most people are, juggling a career and family life.

“She always had things under her control.”

Ms Cunningham also said there was a “blip” in her sister’s mental state in the month before her death.

“She had a blip over Christmas [2022] but she was back on the HRT medication in January and back to work and back to the normal Nikki.”

Ms Cunningham said her sister was drinking more heavily over that period.

However, she added: “She’s never confided in me about any suicidal thoughts.”

Ms Bulley vanished while walking her dog by the river after dropping off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school.

Her dog was found shortly afterwards and her mobile phone was discovered on a bench overlooking the water – still connected to a work conference call.

Her disappearance led to intense public interest, criticism of the police and media and a social media frenzy of conspiracy theories.

Ms Bulley’s former GP told the hearing there was “nothing” in her medical records to suggest she wanted to self-harm.

Dr Rebecca Gray said she had been receiving treatment for “low mood and anxiety” since December 2018, later telling of headaches, fatigue and lack of sleep.

Ms Bulley had been receiving HRT for the menopause since summer 2021, the inquest heard.

She had revisited the surgery, for symptoms including increased anxiety and headaches, and by late 2022 was reporting trouble with sleep.

The GP said Ms Bulley attended a walk-in centre on 11 January after a fall, complaining of increased drowsiness and vomiting.

She was sent to Accident & Emergency where a CT scan came back normal.

On Monday the inquest heard from Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour who conducted the post-mortem examination on Ms Bulley.

She said she concluded she died of drowning and there was evidence she had been harmed before she fell into the water.

Dr Armour also told senior coroner Dr Adeley Ms Bulley had not been drinking before her death.

The inquest also heard from various passers-by who saw Ms Bulley in the village on the morning she disappeared.

One said she looked “absolutely idyllic”, while another described her as “not happy” but “not sad”.

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