Cave death boy inquest next year

Joseph went missing as his party made their way out of the caves

An inquest into the death of a 14-year-old boy who drowned on a school caving trip will not take place until well into next year, police have said.

North Yorkshire Police said on Wednesday nobody would be charged over the death in November 2005 of Tadcaster Grammar School pupil Joseph Lister.

Joseph was in a group learning caving in Upper Nidderdale, North Yorkshire, on the first day of a school trip.

His body was recovered by a rescue team and he was later pronounced dead.

A post-mortem examination determined his cause of death as drowning.

It is understood he was trapped in the cave system by rising water levels.

On Thursday, police and coroner's office officials said no inquest date had been fixed and it was anticipated the hearing would be later next year.