Sarah Everard death: Inquest opened and adjourned

An inquest into the death of Sarah Everard has been opened and adjourned until the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

The 33-year-old vanished as she walked home in Clapham, south London, on 3 March. Her body was found a week later in woodland near Ashford, Kent.

Ms Everard's family were following the hearing at South East Kent Coroner's Court via video-link.

No cause of death was given and her body was released for a funeral.

A second post-mortem examination has been carried out as the first was inconclusive, the inquest was told.

Senior coroner Patricia Harding heard evidence from the Met Police's Acting Det Insp Lee Tullett, one of the investigating officers on the case.

He told the coroner that police first became involved on the afternoon of Thursday 4 March, when Ms Everard's boyfriend Josh Lowth got in touch as he was concerned he had not been able to contact her.

The officer said there had been no activity on her phone after a call to Mr Lowth the night before, and that Ms Everard had failed to attend a meeting at work on the Thursday.

A missing person inquiry began that evening, Det Insp Tullett told the hearing.

He said that CCTV evidence was gathered by police and searches were conducted in London.

"Our inquiries led us to an area of woodland, Hoads Wood, just outside Ashford in Kent and we discovered Sarah there on 10 March at about 16:20," the officer said.

Adjourning the inquest, the coroner said: "It remains for me to say to Sarah's family members how very sorry I am for your loss."

PC Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with the murder and kidnap of Ms Everard.

He has been remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on 9 July ahead of a trial that is set to start on 25 October.