THE inquest into the death of Newport teenager Nida Naseer has recorded an open verdict.

Coroner David Bowen recorded an open verdict and said: "Police investigations have failed to find any evidence as to when, how or in what manner Miss Naseer's body entered the river.

"How this happened is pure speculation, and this inquest is not concerned with speculation.

"From the evidence I've heard I'm satisfied that never has such a description (as 'a mystery') been more appropriate.

"Having considered all conclusions, there is insufficient evidence to reach any conclusion as to by what means (Nida) came by her death. The only conclusion is an open verdict."

The inquest heard from an expert in tidal behaviour Dr Robert Allen who concluded that the powers of wind and wave would have been enough to carry Nida's body from the nearest river entry point to her Linton Street home - the SDR bridge - to the foreshore at Newport Wetlands centre, where it was found by volunteers who were clearing away washed-up debris left by winter storms.

Dr Richard Jones, the consultant pathologist who conducted the post-mortem, said his efforts were hampered by decomposition but he could find no signs of assault, trauma or a fall from a height. He was unable to ascertain the medical cause of the 18-year-old's death.

The body of the Coleg Gwent student was found at the Newport Wetlands in March this year, three months after she went missing from her home in Linton Street, Pill.

The 19-year-old had been the subject of a widespread missing person investigation after she left her home on December 28, 2013 and failed to return.

The alarm was raised because she had left without shoes, money or a phone and had failed to get in touch. Despite extensive appeals from her family and classmates, there were no confirmed sightings of her prior to the discovery of her body on March 27.