Gaynor Lord: Norfolk coroner reveals mother-of-three drowned

Gaynor Lord's body was found in the River Wensum a week after she was reported missing in December

A mother-of-three whose disappearance sparked a major search died by drowning in the river where her body was found, a coroner said.

Gaynor Lord, 55, was reported missing on 8 December after failing to return home from her job at a department store in Norwich.

Her body was recovered from the River Wensum by police divers a week later.

An inquest into her death was opened on Wednesday and revealed the cause as "immersion and drowning".

Assistant coroner Christopher Leach adjourned the hearing until 1 October, when a full inquest will take place.

Specialist divers had been searching the river for three days before finding Gaynor Lord's body in the water

Ms Lord was reported missing by her family after she failed to arrive home from Jarrold's department store, where she worked on a gin counter as a retail assistant.

CCTV footage showed her leaving work more than an hour earlier than expected, before hurrying through the city on foot.

A large search operation began on 8 December when her belongings, including clothing, two rings and a mobile phone, were found scattered across Wensum Park.

A body was found in the river near to St Martins Close, about 400m (quarter of a mile) from Wensum Park

Her body was found on 15 December, with Norfolk Police revealing it did not suspect any "third-party involvement".