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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
World
Ellen Kirwin

Nicola Bulley's partner explains what he thinks happened before she went into the water

Nicola Bulley's partner sent her a text asking if she had got lost when she didn't return home.

Speaking during an inquest into her death, Paul Ansell said he she was "an incredible mum." The inquest needed to break momentarily, after her partner broke down in tears during his evidence and had to leave the room.

Paul Ansell had said: "She was an incredible mum." He said in his witness statement: "Nikki was a quiet person who enjoyed the simple side of life. She was a very private person and kept herself to herself."

READ MORE: Nicola Bulley's sister breaks down in tears giving evidence at inquest

During his evidence, he said that At 10.30am, roughly an hour after Nicola is believed to have entered the water Paul sent her a text asking "have you got lost?". At 10.50am their children’s school called him to say her phone and Willow had been found.

The coroner also references Ring doorbell footage which shows Paul leaving the house at around this time. Paul revealed Nicola had a meeting planned at 11am the day she disappeared.

She then had "quite a lot of paperwork to get ready" for another meeting that afternoon. Paul said she would always come home from her morning walk at 10/10.15. He added: "When it got to 10.30am I started to feel a bit concerned".

He also told the inquest into her death he believes she went to put a harness on her dog shortly before falling into the River Wyre. Her 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".

He added that she had been "looking forward to the future" before her disappearance. Paul said: "The blip over the Christmas period happened but in January she was back to herself, looking forward to the future and everything was on the up.

He added: "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."

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