Barnard Castle woman who drowned in River Tees is named

Kay Wilson’s body was pulled from the water near the River View Leisure Park on December 7, after she was seen entering the river at 11.35pm the night before.

A major search to find the 78-year-old was launched and involved police, fire, paramedics and mountain rescue crews. She was tragically pronounced dead at the scene.

An inquest into the librarian’s death was today (January 7) opened at Crook Coroners’ Court, and heard she drowned.

Coroners’ officer Jacqueline Orpen told the inquest: “I understand the circumstances to be that Mrs Wilson was found deceased in the River Tees in Barnard Castle.

“On December 15, 2025, Dr Peter Nigel Cooper conducted a post-mortem examination at Newcastle Freeman Hospital Mortuary and gave the cause of death as drowning.”

A full inquest into her death has been scheduled for 11.30am on March 6.

A full statement from Durham Police previously said: “Emergency services were called just after 11.35pm on Saturday (December 6) after an elderly woman was seen to enter the River Tees at County Bridge in Barnard Castle.

“Police, fire, ambulance, and a crew from Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team attended the area to search for the woman.

“Shortly after midnight, she was spotted downstream near River View Leisure Park and recovered from the water. Sadly, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

“Her family have been informed, and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time. Her death is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will now be prepared for the coroner. ”