Light up:Victoria Taylor: Missing care home nurse died from drowning, inquest hears

The inquest opened at the North Yorkshire county hall in Northallerton and the hearing lasted about five minutes before being adjourned. The 34-year-old went missing from her home in Malton in September and her body was found in the River Derwent three weeks later.

Victoria Taylor, 34, went missing from her home in Malton on 30 September and her body was found in the River Derwent in the town on 22 October.

An inquest opened today in Northallerton and coroner Catherine Cundy said drowning was the preliminary cause of death.

“Miss Taylor was reported missing by her fiance on October 1, 2024,” she said

“Extensive searches were carried out and, sadly, Miss Taylor’s body was recovered from the River Derwent in Malton on October 22.

“Miss Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene.”

No family were present for the five-minute hearing at the county hall in the town and the inquest was adjourned until a later date still to be arranged.

Police previously said Miss Taylor was found by divers in an area near where a number of her possessions were discovered after she went missing.

They said she had left home at 9am on 30 September and was seen on CCTV at a petrol station on Welham Road at 11.35am, where she bought several items.

She was then spotted at Malton bus station at 11.53am, and walking towards the play park on Riverside Walk at 12.30pm.

A large number of local people helped in daily searches and police used sonar equipment and drones to scour the river.