A mother was strangled with a ligature before her body was recovered from a river on the Norfolk Broads, an inquest has heard.

The bodies of Annette Creegan, from Beechholme Avenue, Mitcham, and her partner 41-year-old John Didier, were found on Sunday, September 2 in the River Bure.

An inquest opened into the death in Norwich yesterday, heard the couple had been together on a pleasure cruiser.

A report, following a post-mortem examination, indicated a preliminary cause of Ms Creegan’s death was consistent with compression of the neck.

A similar report for Mr Didier indicated he died of drowning.

The coroner, William Armstrong, did not comment on whether any criminal proceedings would take place, but confirmed police investigations would continue before the inquest is resumed to establish the facts surrounding the couple’s deaths.

The search for Ms Creegan, who was born in Balham, began after her teenage daughter was found alone on the cruiser, which was moored in a secluded spot near Wroxham, on Saturday, September 1.

Police launched a search for the bodies after finding the victim's 13-year-old daughter alone on a boat after a hire company alerted police that the vessel had not been returned.