CRIMINAL proceedings may be brought in the case of 25-year-old Heather Schofield, the Ribble Valley teacher who died in a diving incident in the Republic of Ireland.

Miss Schofield, of Hurst Green, Ribble Valley, died on Easter Monday last year during an organised dive.

She failed to surface after a dive, and the alarm was raised. Coastguards pulled her body from the water as her mother, Myra, looked on.

At an inquest hearing, Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Coroner Michael Singleton said he was still waiting for the outcome of an inquest, to be held by the coroner for West Kerry, before he could progress with a full inquest here.

At the time of Miss Schofield's death, Irish police said they did not expect any criminal charges to follow their investigation.

But Mr Singleton told the hearing the latest information from Ireland was that the Garda were still investigating, and had now identified an expert who could provide further evidence.

He said: "There remains the possibility of a criminal prosecution arising out of this matter."

Miss Schofield was a geography teacher at Moorland School, Clitheroe, and had previously lived in Accrington, and worked at Gawthorpe High School, Padiham.

The qualified diver was due to celebrate her 26th birthday while in Ireland.

Her death prompted the Irish Water Safety Association to call for better regulation of the diving industry in Eire.

Coroner Mr Singleton adjourned his own inquiry until April 4.