Brooke Morris inquest: Rugby player drowned after night out

The body of 22-year-old Brooke Morris was found in the River Taff near Abercynon

A 22-year-old rugby player drowned when she went missing following a night out, an inquest has heard.

Brooke Morris, from Trelewis, Merthyr Tydfil, had been given a lift home from the town centre early on 12 October 2019.

Police officers found her body in the River Taff near Abercynon four days later following an extensive search.

Her family said they were "shattered" by her death, and her father Gary said she "had a lot to give to the world".

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A narrative verdict was recorded by the assistant coroner for South Wales Central, Rachel Knight, who said her intention in going into the water could not be ascertained and she accepted the medical cause of death as drowning.

Toxicology tests found she had drunk a significant amount of alcohol on the night she went missing - the equivalent of three times over the drink-drive limit.

A smashed wine bottle was found by a search team the next day.

She had spent the evening drinking in a Merthyr Tydfil pub with Gemma Griffiths, who she had met a month before.

'Mixing her drinks'

Ms Griffiths told the inquest that after Ms Morris had previously discussed taking their relationship further, she had told her she was not interested in a romantic relationship.

Ms Morris had told friends she was very upset and unhappy, the inquest heard, but the pair had remained close.

Brooke Morris played rugby for Nelson RFC

On the night she disappeared, the women got a lift into Merthyr at about 23:30 BST and met friends in The Vulcan pub, staying there for about an hour-and-a-half, the inquest was told.

Ms Griffiths said they had both begun drinking before going into town and she thought Ms Morris brought vodka and lemonade with her in a sports drink bottle, buying a bottle of wine on the way into town.

"She was mixing her drinks. We were playing catch-up," said Ms Griffiths.

Ms Griffiths said they were drinking shots of sambuca and WKD Blue before going onto the Cooler nightclub some time between 00.30 BST and 01:00 BST.

The inquest was told Ms Morris later slapped a man who made a comment about her eyebrows. Ms Griffiths said she was shocked and asked her why she had done it.

"I was shocked by her behaviour and I gave her a row," she told the inquest.

Flowers were left near the river after Brooke Morris's body was discovered

The two women were picked up from town by a friend and they went to the McDonald's at Cyfarthfa Retail Park before being driven back home.

Ms Morris asked if she could stay at Ms Griffiths' home overnight, but she refused.

"I said no, she needed to go home and get her head down. I said 'I'm not arguing with you, you are going home,'" she told the inquest.

Ms Morris was dropped off outside her home, took the bottle of wine she had bought earlier and walked towards her front door, the inquest heard.

Three voicemails

Visibly upset, Ms Griffiths told the hearing she expected her to turn up at her house soon afterwards.

But the 22-year-old did not go home or to stay with Ms Griffiths. A neighbour saw her from his attic window as she walked along a lane, climbed over a gate and went towards a bridge over the River Taff.

At 07:00 BST the following morning, Ms Griffiths woke to find Ms Morris had left three voicemails, all sent after 02:50 BST. She said she tried to call her back but there was no reply.

Volunteers had gathered at Treharris rugby club to help with the search

Ms Griffiths said she was worried and rang another close friend of Ms Morris.

Later that afternoon, as news of her disappearance began to circulate on social media, friends began looking for her.

Police and mountain rescue teams joined in the hunt. Her parents, who had gone to Tenby for the weekend, returned home.

On 16 October a specialist police search team found her body in the river.