Nicola Bulley was looking forward to future, says partner

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

Paul Ansell said there had been concerns about her drinking and she had a "blip" over Christmas but was back to herself by January.

The inquest heard the family called 999 with worries about her welfare.

On the call-out Dr Theresa Leevy said the 45-year-old appeared to be intoxicated but did not wish to engage.

Ms Bulley went missing on a dog walk in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, on 27 January, prompting a major search.

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

Dr Leevy said she worked alongside a mental health crisis service, who were called on 10 January to the mother-of-two's home address.

The doctor confirmed to the coroner this was following Ms Bulley telling her sister about not wishing to engage with her children and "not wishing to be here".

Describing the encounter as "brief", Dr Leevy said in a review of the service provided to the Bulley family, it was found she had been in receipt of the crisis service even though she "did not wholly meet the criteria".

Mr Ansell, giving evidence, 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, Ms Bulley's partner of 12 years, 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 also said there was a "blip" in her sister's mental state in the month before her death 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's mother said "everything was normal" the day before her daughter went missing.

Dorothy Bulley said she picked up her granddaughters from school on 26 January and looked after them that evening.

She said: "We sorted the girls out and everything was normal."

She fought back tears after she described giving her daughter a kiss and cuddle goodbye.

Ms Bulley's father, Ernest, also cried as he talked about saying goodbye to his daughter.

He said: "She was a great daughter, sister and mother, we couldn't ask for any more from her."

Sophie Cartwright KC, representing Ms Bulley's family, said they believed her death was "a tragic accident".

Ms Cartwright said: "There has been much rumour and suspicion and speculation around Nikki's death but the family are very clearly of the view and submit to you that that rumour and speculation is allayed completely when looking at all the evidence."

She added the family believed "Nikki's death would have occurred very shortly after she entered the water".

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.

Lancashire Police came under fire after revealing Ms Bulley's struggles with alcohol and perimenopause.

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 no 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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