AN East Lancashire pathologist has clashed with a French medic over how an "experienced" and "level-headed" Rossendale caver died after freak flooding in one of the world's deepest caverns.

A Burnley inquest heard how Dr Abdul Al-Dawoud, who carried out a post mortem examination believed Nicola Dollimore died from head injuries, whereas a French pathologist, who only examined the 30-year-old's body, believed she died from strangulation, last July 7.

The hearing was told how Nicola, a lecturer, died as water gushed over her head in the 3,800ft Gouffre Berger, near Grenoble, as a fellow member of the Oxford University Caving Society battled to save her. Another potholer, a Hungarian, lost his life in the expedition after torrential rain.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, East Lancs coroner, Mr David Smith said the weather had been "terrible and dramatic" - but added Nicola died doing something she loved and knew the risks involved. Mr David Smith went on: "It was more an act of God than anything else that caused the problems that led to the situation in which Nicola died."

Nicola's husband, Nicholas Perrin, of Sizehouse Village, Haslingden, said his wife, a former ballerina, was an experienced caver and in good health.

Doctor Al-Dawoud said a French pathologist, who had not carried out a post-mortem examination, believed that a line on Nicola's neck was a ligature mark and that she died from strangulation.

Nicola had bruises on her head and haemorrhage under the skin. In his opinion, the cause of death was head injuries.

Caver Richard Gregson, of Beeston, Derbyshire, said Nicola's party had gone into the cave on Saturday, July 6, and, had weather conditions been perfect, they would have been expected to come out in the early hours of Monday. After checking the weather forecast the Cave Rescue was alerted as a precaution. He and fellow cavers went down on the Tuesday and had to swim and row across normally dry areas before deciding to stay down overnight and tackling the floods. The next day they found Nicola hanging on a rope directly underneath a waterfall. Her helmet did not seem to have suffered any blows and was attached to her chin.

William Stead, of Shailmarsh Close, Higher Bebbington, Wirral, told the hearing he was ahead of Nicola. The group spent Saturday night at camp one in the cave and set off on their ascent on Sunday morning. The water was higher and the conditions wetter than they would have liked.

Nicola was trying to get up a 5ft diagonal rope and when she said she didn't think she would make it, Mr Stead tried to encourage her. As the water started to rise he shouted to Nicola to get down, realising they would be better off in the chamber they had just come from. He then sat on a boulder to try and keep water away from her, but was washed off twice.

Mr Stead said: "The situation turned from a simple problem into an emergency in a few minutes. I started to get seriously worried, wondering what the hell I could do. Nicola was very calm. I went back to Nicola but this time I couldn't get near her. I saw water go over her head and heard her scream. At this point I couldn't do any more - I was in a precarious situation."

Mr Stead, who then spent three days on a ledge awaiting held, added: "I am extremely lucky to have got out."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.