Police are urgently trying to find out what happened to missing mother Nicola Bulley in a crucial ten-minute window after she was last spotted, as her sister last night said there was ‘no evidence whatsoever’ she had fallen into a nearby river
Written by on April 25, 2023
Police are urgently trying to find out what happened to missing mother Nicola Bulley in a crucial ten-minute window after she was last spotted, as her sister last night said there was ‘no evidence whatsoever’ she had fallen into a nearby river.
Ms Bulley, 45, was last seen by a witness at 9.10am on January 27, but it remains unknown what she did until 9.20am, when police know her phone was placed on the bench where it was later discovered.
On Saturday a police helicopter was seen continuing the search for Nicola over the village of St Michael’s on Wyre, where she lives with her partner and two children.
It comes as Nicola Bulley’s family last night asked the public to keep an open mind as key questions about her disappearance remain unanswered more than a week later.Her partner Paul Ansell yesterday made an emotional appeal for the return of Nicola, who is mother to two daughters, nine and six.
Police yesterday expressed concerns the missing mother-of-two may have fallen in the icy cold water of the River Wyre while trying to.Specialist search crews have not recovered the ball – or anything of note – at this stage.
Nicola Bulley’s sister (pictured together) warned there is ‘no evidence whatsoever’ that suggests the missing mother fell in the river, despite police confirming it’s their lead theory
Ms Bulley’s sister Louise Cunningham urged the public to keep an open mind in a social media post, tagging Ms Bulley’s partner Paul Ansell in the post
Despite no signs of her having fallen such as footprints, police said yesterday they have ‘no evidence whatsoever that there is anything suspicious about her disappearance or any third-party involvement in her going missing.’
On Friday Ms Bulley’s sister Louise Cunningham urged the public to keep sharing their appeal to find her.
‘Off the back of the latest police media update, please can I add there is no evidence whatsoever that she has gone into the river, it’s just a theory,’ she said.
‘Everyone needs to keep an open mind as not all CCTV and leads have been investigated fully, the police confirmed the case is far from over.’
As the search for Ms Bulley enters its ninth day, the mystery surrounding the mother-of-two remains.
Police released a detailed timeline of Ms Bulley’s morning, revealing she was last seen walking her dog along the river by a witness who is known to her.The witness saw her dog was off the lead and not wearing its harness.
Ten minutes later, at 9.20am, the police know her phone was on the bench it would later be found.
A police helicopter was seen over St Michael’s on Wyre in Lancashire on Saturday
Willow was known to play with a ball in the area – and even sometimes the river – as evidenced by Ms Bulley’s Strava account pictures
Police divers have reportedly not yet located anything of note in the river after nine days of searching
At 9.33am Nicola’s dog was found running around in an agitated state, near to the bench where her phone, the dog’s lead and harness were lying.
A key part of the investigation concerns what happened during those missing ten minutes.
Investigators are also trying to substantiate whether Ms Bulley put her phone down on the bench herself because her dog was in danger.
At a press conference on Friday, Supt Riley from Lancashire Police said it was ‘possible’ Ms Bulley rushed to the aid of her dog Willow and consequently fell into the River Wyre.
She may have momentarily put her phone down on the nearby bench in order to help Willow. But they added that was speculation, and her dog was found to be ‘bone dry’, meaning it most likely did not enter the water at any point.
Police are therefore also considering whether Ms Bulley had been trying to retrieve Willow’s ball and then entered the water.
Photographs show she often let her dog off the lead to play near the river, and the ball may have slipped down the riverbank.No ball has been found at the scene, but it could have fallen into the river.
There is also the question of how Nicola may have ended up in the water. This could be due to the treacherous and slippery nature of the riverbank in the area – she could have fallen in and become weighed down by her heavy clothing.
But her family have said there are no signs of a fall at the river, which is muddy at this time of year, and that she is a strong swimmer.
Another mystery is where Nicola and her possessions may be now.
Police say it is possible Ms Bulley was attempting to help her dog Willow (pictured) or retrieve a tennis ball for her and then fell into the river
Ms Bulley’s distraught partner attempted to remain composed as he told the media he was trying to protect his daughters
Divers will continue looking for the missing mother throughout Saturday
She was last seen wearing an ankle-length black quilted gilet jacket, a black Engelbert Strauss waist-length coat, tight-fitting jeans and green wellies.
She had a pale blue Fitbit strapped to her wrist as she took her Spaniel, Willow, on a brisk walk through River Wyre – a route she took often after dropping her daughters to school nearby.
The police are searching a 10-mile stretch of river to the Irish sea but have so far found no sign of the 45-year-old.
Members of the public are urged to look out for anything which could belong to her and contact police if they find any clothing which matches the description.
Police have confirmed there are other lines of inquiry, including a ‘very small area’ leading out of the park which has no CCTV nearby and could be crucial to the development of the investigation.
Substantial CCTV in the region has all but ruled out she exited the park from most of the surrounding gates, but the path leading to Garstang Lane toward the A5/A6 has thus far proven to be a camera black spot.
Lancashire Police Superintendent Sally Riley told the Lancashire Post: ‘Several exits of the riverside area have CCTV covering them or exits are locked and therefore couldn’t have been passed through by Nicola.
‘There’s only a very small area onto Garstang Lane toward the A5/A6 which is not covered by CCTV and that’s why we’re appealing today for dashcam footage or for people who may have been walking on Garstang Lane or driving in the area to come forward if they can.’
While police are still investigating, theiron the morning of Friday January 27, shortly after dropping her daughters, aged six and nine, at school.
Since then Ms Bulley’s distraught family have been clinging to hope she may still be alive.
When Willow was found by another dog-walker – just 13 minutes after Ms Bulley vanished – she was ‘bone dry’, leading police to determine she likely had not been in the water, despite being alone, out of her harness and ‘worked up’.
Last night Ms Bulley’s family were finding the candid police assessment ‘hard to contemplate’ but continued to hold onto hope, the Mail was told.
Ms Bulley’s desperate parents, sister, partner and daughters have all been living a nightmare over the past week.
Partner Paul Ansell, a 44-year-old company director, shares the bewilderment of millions who had followed the agonising mystery since his partner of 12 years disappeared.
Over the weekend he is reportedly trying to keep things as normal as possible for his daughters, taking them to weekly clubs and allowing them to have a sleepover with friends.
Pictured: Ms Bulley’s devastated parents Ernie and Dot, and sister Louise speaking to the media earlier this week
Pictured: Ms Bulley’s distraught partner, Paul Ansell, said on Friday it was as if Nicola had ‘vanished into thin air’
Police expressed concerns that the missing mother-of-two may have wound up in the icy cold water on River Wyre while trying to retrieve her dog Willow’s tennis ball
At the scene yesterday he said: ‘My whole focus is my two girls, just staying as strong as I can for them.I’m scared that if I put focus into anything else it’s going to take my focus off that.
‘I just can’t believe we’re a week on, and it seems like we’re no further on. It just seems absolutely impossible. Like a dream. I cannot get my head around it.Right now it’s like she’s vanished into thin air, it’s insane.’
Friend Luke Sumner acknowledged the evidence thus far does appear to point to the river.
‘It’s very, very wet, the banks can be quite steep in certain areas, and the current can be quite fast,’ he told Radio 4’s PM programme.But he said family and friends continued ‘clinging to any hope there is’.
Speaking to MailOnline following a press conference in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre, Supt Riley said officers were looking at all scenarios, including that Ms Bulley got into trouble trying to retrieve Willow’s ball.
Ms Bulley posted numerous images of herself exercising along the same stretch of the River Wyre to where she was last seen last on .
Specialist crews were on the water on Friday searching for clues
Police divers from North West Police Underwater Unit returned to the River Wyre yesterday to continue scouring the riverbed for clues
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