Progress on inquest into Durham teacher's Mexico death

Twenty-three-year-old Alix Bussey, who lived in Durham and taught at Bowburn Infants School, and boyfriend Jonathan Boyle were heading back to their hotel after a night out on Thursday, April 9, last year when they were in a car accident in the resort of Riviera Maya.

Durham Constabulary said at the time that while few details had been confirmed, it appeared she had been struck by a vehicle.

Coroner Andrew Tweddle had been awaiting the arrival of information from the Mexican authorities before setting a date for an inquest.

He told a review hearing this morning that the information had arrived over Christmas but he had just received a translation of the papers.

"We have got quite a lot of paperwork from the Mexican authorities," said Mr Tweddle. "A lot of countries take a lot, lot longer.

"Once we begin reading it, we can see what is there and precisely what is not there. It is only when we know how complete the paperwork is that I will be able to work out what we do."

Mr Tweddle gave copies of the translated papers to Mr boyle and Miss Bussey's parents Colin and Penny and Mr Twedddle adjourned the case to his next review date, on February 8, with the intention of setting a final inquest date.

"By that time we will have had an opportunity to go through the paperwork and on the day we will see what is going to happen after that," he said.

"That is quite positive progress."

Speaking immediately after Alix's death, her parents and younger sister Leigh, 21, told of their shock at losing the teacher.

Mrs Bussey, 50 said; "We’re absolutely devastated by what has happened and waiting to be given more information by the Foreign Office.

"Alix adored being a teacher, it was all she wanted to do from the age of seven and she was devoted to the education and welfare of the children she taught.

"She lived life to the full, loved to party and she and Jonathan were besotted with each other.

"Although they had been away on several occasions this was their first holiday abroad and they had been having a great experience.

"Only the night before, she had texted Leigh to say she was having ‘the bestest time ever'."