Dolomites fall victim's death ruled accidental by coroner

Louise Atkinson sustained fatal injuries in a fall while hiking in the Dolomites

The death of a woman who fell off a cliff while on a hiking trip in Italy was accidental, a coroner has ruled.

Louise Atkinson, from Ripon, North Yorkshire, fell about 100ft (30m) while walking with her partner in the Dolomites in July.

The 55-year-old was a teacher at Roecliffe Church of England School, near Boroughbridge, and at St Wilfrid's Catholic School in Ripon.

An inquest into her death took place in Northallerton on Thursday.

Ms Atkinson and her partner had been hiking on the 24 July on the Via Ferrata Santner trail, which climbs to a height of more 6,500ft (2,000m), leading through small gullies and narrow passes.

Catherine Cundy, area coroner for York and North Yorkshire ruled her death was an accident likely to have been caused by her losing her footing on the route.

The inquest was told a post-mortem examination concluded the cause of death was a traumatic brain injury.