Nicola Bulley identified by dental records after her body was pulled from river

The 45-year-old’s family were not in attendance at the hearing

Nicola Bulley was identified using her dental records, the opening of an inquest into her death has heard.

Preston Coroner’s Court was told surgeon Andrew Ian Edwards had examined the 45-year-old’s dental records, which had been obtained by police from her dental surgery.

The hearing, which lasted about five minutes, was not attended by Ms Bulley‘s partner Paul Ansell or any other family.

Nicola Bulley was found after a three week search (Danny Lawson/PA Wire)

Speaking at the opening of the inquest into the mother-of-two’s death, senior coroner Dr James Adeley said: “He examined the body that was located in the River Wyre near Rawcliffe Road in St Michael’s on Wyre at 2.15pm on February 20.”

Dr Adeley said the surgeon found restorative work carried out was identical.

He added: “I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities, and more, that positive identification has been made.”

Coroner Dr James Adeley said the family have been informed of the inquests starting but have chosen not to attend.

He said remaining evidence gathered by police and the post-mortem examination required “further evaluation” and a full inquest was likely to be held in June, once availability of a Home Office pathologist had been checked.

He said: “This will allow time to collate the facts of the case and allow the experts involved to finalise the findings from investigations that still need to be undertaken.”

A map showing the exact location where a body in the search for missing dog walker Nicola Bulley was found has been released (Press Association Images)

In a press conference on Monday, Lancashire Police described the investigation into her disappearance as “hugely complex and highly emotional”.

However, it did not address the widespread criticism it had received for releasing some aspects of Ms Bulley's private life into the public domain.

Ms Bulley was found in the river almost three weeks after she went missing (PA Media)

Police also did not disclose why it took 23 days to find her body in the river.

Ms Bulley's family said in a statement on Monday that they can let her “rest now” following the discovery of her remain

Her friends and family now launched the campaign saying Nicola’s legacy will live on through Paul and their two daughters.

Specialist divers recovered the body near to where the dog walker vanished in Saint Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire after a three-week-long search.

Lancashire Police had been working on the hypothesis that Ms Bulley fell into the river.

A post-mortem and inquest are due to take place in due course, which could help explain what happened to the mother-of-two.