Ex-detective who exposed Jimmy Savile to join search

A former detective crucial to the investigation of both the Jimmy Savile and Madeleine McCann cases is set to join the search for Nicola Bulley.

Ms Bulley was last seen walking her dog in a field near the river in St Michael’s on Wyre on 27 January.

Journalist Mark Williams-Thomas, who both exposed the prolific sex offender and investigated the missing girl’s kidnap suspect Christian Brueckner, said he hoped to “dismiss some of the inaccuracies” aired by armchair detectives.

It comes after a witness told police he saw two men acting suspiciously near the route that Ms Bulley regularly walked her dog on the day before her disappearance.

The witness, who did not want to be named, said the “hooded” men were “carrying fishing rods” and “were trying to hide their faces”.

“It was very strange. It made me uneasy,” the witness told The Sun.

The two men were spotted at around 7.45am on the day before Ms Bulley vanished. The witness said “they could just have been two normal fishermen” but “they seemed to want to hide their faces, which struck me as odd”.

Key Points

• Ex-detective who investigated Jimmy Savile to join search

• Police say they have ‘not stepped down’ Nicola Bulley investigation

• Officers spotted at nearby caravan park

• Nicola Bulley’s sister shares urgent plea as search for missing dog walker enters third week

Nicola Bulley described as ‘most beautiful person, inside and out’ by concerned friends

21:15 , Emily Atkinson

A next-door neighbour of Nicola Bulley described her friend as “without doubt the most beautiful person, inside and out who would do anything for anyone”.

Charlotte Drake, whose children regularly play with Ms Bulley’s, told the Metro: “We joke she is the sort of mum we all want to be – loving, friendly and just a wonderful human being. Like Paul, we have to remain strong and have hope that we will get Nicola home.

“As neighbours and friends, we’ve all said from 11am on Day 1 when the police showed up… ‘She’s not in that river’.

Story continues

“My gut feeling remains the same. I honestly believe Nikki is not in the water.”

Ms Drake also dismissed speculation that Ms Bulley’s car keys were left in the ignition, saying the missing mother had them with her – something Mr Ansell wanted the public to know.

Police should have treated Nicola Bulley case like murder or abduction, says ex-cop

20:15 , Liam James

Former detective Mark Williams-Thomas said he believed police should have treated the Nicola Bulley case as if an abduction or murder had taken place.

Mr Williams-Thomas, who is known for exposing Jimmy Saville’s sexual abuse history, said: “This would now be a critical incident being dealt with as suspicious, if it had been down to me.

“Within 48 hours I would have treated this in the same fashion as a murder or abduction. I think police have been right to say they have an open mind – the problem that they have got is that they also said it wasn’t criminal.”

Nicola Bulley: Lack of slip marks doesn’t rule out river fall, says ex-cop

19:15 , Liam James

A former Metropolitan Police officer said he supported the police view that Ms Bulley fell in the river, after intense speculation over other potential explanations for the missing dog walker’s disappearance.

“Every picture I see of that river bank shows the edge is a sheer drop. So the lack of foot slip marks or any disturbed ground doesn’t stop me thinking she has fallen in. I think it is most likely she is in that river,” he told Mail Online.

However, he said it was strange that diving experts were searching a specific area. He said: “She has been missing for over 14 days now – she could be four miles away.”

He added: “They must do everything they can to stop a body getting to the sea where it will be lost.”

Messages left for Nicola

18:15 , Emily Atkinson

Yesterday, family and friends of Nicola showed she has not been forgotten by leaving yellow ribbons with handwritten messages on a bridge close to where she disappeared.

Ribbons with messages including “We need you home Nicola”, “praying for your safe return” and “I love you” have been tied to a footbridge over the River Wyre. A large poster with a photograph of Ms Bulley has also been attached to the railings.

Nicola Bulley: Police spotted at caravan site near where dog walker disappeared

16:15 , Emily Atkinson

Police have been spotted at the caravan park near where Nicola Bulley vanished.

Officers were spotted today at Wyreside Farm Park Caravan Site, near to where the 45-year-old missing woman disappeared 17 days ago while walking her dog, MailOnline reports.

Ms Bulley, a mortgage adviser, was last seen near the River Wyre river at around 9.20am on 27 January, after dropping her daughters aged six and nine, at the school in the village.

Kate Plummer reports:

Nicola Bulley: Police spotted at caravan site near where dog walker disappeared

15:50 , Emily Atkinson

Mounted police in Knott End-on-Sea take part in the search for missing woman Nicola Bulley, who vanished on 27 January in Wyre, Lancashire.

Police spotted at nearby caravan park as search for missing mother continues

15:13 , Emily Atkinson

Police were spotted today at a caravan park near to where Nicola Bulley vanished almost three weeks ago.

Images shared by MailOnline capture uniformed officers scouring Wyreside Farm Park Caravan Site, which lies along the same riverside path in St Michael’s on Wyre where Ms Bulley was last seen walking her dog on 27 January.

5 things forensics expert claims don’t add up about dog walker’s disappearance

15:05 , Emily Atkinson

A forensic expert leading the underwater search for missing Nicola Bulley has been left “baffled” by “strange” events in the mother’s disappearance.

The 45-year-old disappeared while on her regular dog walk in the quiet village of St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.

Dropping her children off at school, she took her spaniel Willow for a stroll by the river and was sighted at around 9am by a witness but despite an extensive search, she has yet to be found.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain reports:

5 things forensics expert claims don’t add up about missing dog walker disappearance

Nicola Bulley’s disappearance ‘is one of the most odd cases’, says head of private underwater search team

14:30 , Emily Atkinson

Nicola Bulley’s sister shares urgent plea as search for missing dog walker enters third week

14:10 , Emily Atkinson

Nicola Bulley’s sister is urging members of the public to keep sharing the campaign to bring her home as the search enters its 18th day.

The missing dog walker’s friends and family have launched the ‘Bring Nikki Home’ campaign with her sister, Louise Cunningham, encouraging people to get involved on social media.

Ms Bulley’s loved ones are urging people to post a yellow logo on Facebook to raise awareness of the 45-year-old’s disappearance and encourage potential witnesses to come forwards. On Sunday Ms Cunningham posted the logo with the request to “please keep sharing”.

Lucy Skoulding reports:

Nicola Bulley’s sister shares urgent plea for sibling as search enters third week

Police say they have ‘not stepped down’ Nicola Bulley investigation

13:45 , Emily Atkinson

Police have said they are not giving up the search for missing mum Nicola Bulley after more than two weeks despite fewer police officers seen in the area of her disappearance.

The mother-of-two has been missing since January 27 when she was last seen walking her dog around 9.20am by the River Wyre near Preston in Lancashire.

Authorities have spent 17 days searching the area near to St Michael’s village for the 45-year-old mortgage adviser and expanded their search to Morecambe Bay.

William Mata reports:

Police say they have ‘not stepped down’ Nicola Bulley investigation

Underwater search expert explains why he doesn’t believe missing dog walker is in river

13:15 , Emily Atkinson

An underwater search for missing Nicola Bulley is continuing following a fresh appeal by her partner, who said her two daughters “desperately” miss her and “need her back”.

The search for Ms Bulley, 45, is entering its 11th day after she went missing on January 27 in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.

In a statement released on Monday through Lancashire Police, her partner Paul Ansell said: “I have two little girls who miss their mummy desperately and who need her back.”

Underwater expert explains why he doesn’t think missing Nicola Bulley is in river

Meet the armchair detectives determined to solve the Nicola Bulley case

12:45 , Emily Atkinson

Since the disappearance of the mother-of-two last month, budding Sherlocks have flooded online discussion boards to try to solve the case and point fingers – leading to police frustration. Ben Bryant speaks to them.

Meet the armchair detectives determined to solve the Nicola Bulley case

Nicola Bulley described as ‘most beautiful person, inside and out’ by concerned friends

12:15 , Emily Atkinson

A next-door neighbour of Nicola Bulley described her friend as “without doubt the most beautiful person, inside and out who would do anything for anyone”.

Charlotte Drake, whose children regularly play with Ms Bulley’s, told the Metro: “We joke she is the sort of mum we all want to be – loving, friendly and just a wonderful human being. Like Paul, we have to remain strong and have hope that we will get Nicola home.

“As neighbours and friends, we’ve all said from 11am on Day 1 when the police showed up… ‘She’s not in that river’.

“My gut feeling remains the same. I honestly believe Nikki is not in the water.”

Ms Drake also dismissed speculation that Ms Bulley’s car keys were left in the ignition, saying the missing mother had them with her – something Mr Ansell wanted the public to know.

‘My husband went for a walk like Nicola Bulley a year ago – people don’t just vanish’

11:37 , Emily Atkinson

The wife of a man who went missing a year ago has urged the family of Nicola Bulley to “keep the faith”, saying “people don’t just vanish”.

Lucy Creaney said she still believes her husband, Finn Creaney, who went missing nearly a year ago after he started a solo hike in Loch Naver, Sutherland, is still alive.

She has urged Ms Bulley’s family to say positive as the search for the missing dog walker was expanded to the sea – some 12 miles downriver from where she was last seen.

Milica Cosic has more:

‘My husband went for a walk like Nicola Bulley – people don’t just vanish’

Ex-detective who investigated Jimmy Savile to join search

11:00 , Emily Atkinson

A former detective crucial to the investigation of both the Jimmy Saville and Madeleine McCann cases is set to join the search for Nicola Bulley.

Journalist Mark Williams-Thomas, who both exposed the prolific sex offender and investigated the missing girl’s kidnap suspect Christian Brueckner, is travelling to St Michael’s on Wyre this week to analyse what could have happened to the mother-of-two.

Posting to Twitter this morning, Mr Williams-Thomas said he hopes to rule out a number of theories aired by armchair detectives since she vanished 1on 27 January.

Mr Williams-Thomas said: “I will be spending time up in St Michael’s on Wyre next week to pull together a quick turn around report of what exactly is known about the disappearance of Nicola Bulley.

“I will explore all the options, bring you a factual evidence analysis and dismiss some of the inaccuracies.”

ICYMI: Messages of hope tied to River Wyre bridge as Nicola Bulley search continues

10:39 , Emily Atkinson

Paul Ansell’s strength a miracle, says close friend

10:17 , Emily Atkinson

A close friend of Nicola Bulley has praised the strength of partner Paul Ansell as “nothing short of a miracle”.

Charlotte Drake, a next door neighbour of Ms Bulley’s, said: “He does not want to break down on camera in view of millions of people watching and where his kids may see it.

“He has to remain strong as he has to hold on to hope we will find Nikki.”

She said that when many people would be sitting at home waiting for news, Mr Ansell “is using the media exactly as it should be used, to share the facts, highlight the lack of evidence and spread the word far and wide, so that he can hopefully reach someone that knows something”.

Witness ‘saw two suspicious men’ before Nicola Bulley’s disappearance

09:58 , Emily Atkinson

Liam James has more on this morning’s top story:

A witness has told police he saw two men acting suspiciously near the route that Nicola Bulley regularly walked her dog on the day before her disappearance, it has been claimed.

The witness, who did not wish to share his account publicly, said he spotted the pair outside the church in St Michael’s on Wyre and on a nearby bridge on 26 January.

A worker at a local garage said the witness gave information to police after officers asked for anyone who had been in the area around the time the mother-of-two was last seen to come forward, according to The Sun.

Witness ‘saw two suspicious men’ before Nicola Bulley’s disappearance

09:40 , Emily Atkinson

Candles illuminate a photo of missing woman Nicola Bulley and her partner Paul Ansell at St Michael’s Church in St Michael’s on Wyre, as police continue their search for the missing dog walker.

Police are continuing to look for Ms Bulley, 45, and have widened their search towards the Morecambe Bay end of the River Wyre.

Watch: Everything we know about Nicola Bulley’s disappearance so far

09:22 , Emily Atkinson

Missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s final text before she disappeared revealed

09:00 , Emily Atkinson

Missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s final text before she “vanished into thin air” has been revealed.

The 45-year-old was last seen walking her dog by the river in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on Friday 27 January. She was still logged into a Microsoft Teams call which had ended at 9.30am when her phone was recovered.

Just half an hour earlier, the mother of two had texted a friend to book a playdate. She sent the message at 8.57am shortly before logging into the Teams call, locals at a village meeting were told.

Eleanor Noyce has the details:

Missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s final text before she disappeared revealed

Investigation widened to include day before disappearance

08:45 , Emily Atkinson

Lancashire Police on Sunday widened its investigation to include the day before Nicola Bulley disappeared.

Police requested CCTV footage from a garage in St Michael’s on Wyre that covers one of the key exit points from the fields where Ms Bulley went missing.

A garage worker confirmed the CCTV camera was operational and records vehicles on the main road through the village and the top of a country lane that branches onto the back of The Grapes, a pub close to where Bulley was last seen more than two weeks ago.

The worker, who did not wish to be named, told The Sun on Sunday: “Two smartly dressed officers came in following up, a man and a woman.

“They wanted the CCTV from the day before Nicola vanished and to take statements of any activity we had seen from that day. These officers were different to the ones in uniform, they seemed very assertive.”

Retired detective reveals three reasons she believes Nicola Bulley is in the river

08:30 , Emily Atkinson

Police investigating the disappearance of Nicola Bulley in Lancashire are right to explore the theory that the mother-of-two is in the River Wyre, a retired detective has said.

Julie Mackay, a former detective inspector at Gloucestershire Police, said no new evidence had emerged to suggest otherwise.

Ms Bulley 45, of Inskip, Lancashire, vanished while walking her dog in a field next to the river in St Michaels on Wyre on the morning of 27 January after dropping her two children off at school.

Matt Mathers reports:

Retired detective reveals three reasons she believes Nicola Bulley is in the river

Latest images from the River Wyre – where Nicola Bulley was last seen

08:15 , Emily Atkinson

Everything we know so far about Nicola Bulley as mother vanishes while walking dog

08:00 , Emily Atkinson

Police are continuing with a major search for missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley who disappeared one week ago.

Ms Bulley, a mortgage adviser, was last seen near the River Wyre river at around 9.20am, and despite an extensive search has not been located.

The mother-of-two’s distraught family made an emotional appeal for information yesterday, saying they would “do anything” to find her.

Ms Bulley’s sister, Louise Cunningham, told Sky News: “Something has got to have been missed. Somebody must know something. People don’t just vanish into thin air.”

Here is Joe Middleton with everything we know so far:

Everything we know so far as mother vanishes while walking dog

Forensic expert offers to carry out searches on land

07:45 , Emily Atkinson

A forensic specialist who searched the waters for Nicola Bulley, who went missing last month, has offered to carry out investigations on land.

Peter Faulding, whose Specialist Internationalist Group firm searched a stretch of the river where Ms Bulley was last seen, said he was consulting with the family about carrying out a land search for the 45-year-old.“I’ve offered to go up privately and put my investigative mind to it,” Mr Faulding told The Telegraph.

“I’m visiting in my own time to discuss looking at other areas without interfering with the police operation. Normally you carry out land searches, that’s what the family want.”

He reiterated that it was unlikely that Ms Bulley fell in the river, saying: “On the river on the day it wasn’t running very fast.

“I’ve spent a lot of time with the family and they said she was so cautious, did the same route every day, didn’t go near the river and her Fitbit shows she doesn’t go near the river. She would have to be pushed really hard to be launched out into the middle of the river.”

Timeline of dog walker’s mysterious disappearance

07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The last known movements of missing dog walker Nicola Bulley have been revealed by police.

Nicola Bulley, 45, a mortgage adviser, was last seen last Friday morning at around 9.20am while walking her dog alongside the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.

8.43am – Nicola walked along the path by the River Wyre, having dropped her children off at school

8:50am (approximately) – A dog-walker – somebody who knows Nicola – saw her walking around the lower field with her dog. Their two dogs interacted briefly before the witness left the field via the river path

8.53am – She sent an email to her boss

9.01am – She logged into a Teams call

9.10am (approximately) – A witness – somebody who knows Nicola – saw her on the upper field walking her dog, Willow. Work is ongoing today to establish exactly what time this was.

Read more.

Timeline of Nicola Bulley’s mysterious disappearance

Five things forensics expert claims don’t add up

07:05 , Jane Dalton

Peter Faulding, the chief executive of Specialist Group International, which failed to find Nicola Bulley, set out issues that he said were baffling – including why her phone was left on a bench and why police did not seal off the area:

5 things forensics expert claims don’t add up about missing dog walker disappearance

Witness ‘saw two hooded men’ before Bulley’s disappearance

06:48 , Emily Atkinson

A witness has told police he saw two hooded men acting suspiciously near the route that Nicola Bulley regularly walked her dog on the day before her disappearance.

The witness, who did not want to be named, said the men were “carrying fishing rods” and “were trying to hide their faces”. “It was very strange. It made me uneasy,” the witness told The Sun.

The two men were spotted at around 7.45am on the day before Ms Bulley vanished. The witness said “they could just have been two normal fishermen” but “they seemed to want to hide their faces, which struck me as odd”.

‘Nothing to suggest’ tatty red van spotted on day of Nicola Bulley disappearance is suspicious

06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

There is “nothing to suggest” the red van spotted on the day of Nicola Bulley’s disappearance is suspicious, Lancashire Police have said.

Police have confirmed that they are making efforts to identify the owner but there is no reason to suspect it is anything other than one of many hundreds of vehicles in the area that morning.

A 55-year-old unnamed witness told The Times that they saw a “tatty red van in Hall Lane outside a barn” on the day of Ms Bulley’s disappearance.

The witness said “its the sort of van you can live in” and said the van could have been a Renault.

Martha McHardy has more.

‘Nothing to suggest’ red van spotted on day Bulley vanished is suspicious

Police widen investigation to include day before disappearance

06:05 , Jane Dalton

Lancashire Police have widened their investigation to include the day before Nicola Bulley disappeared, requesting CCTV from a local garage that covers one of the key exit points from the fields where she went missing:

Police widen investigation to include day before Nicola Bulley went missing

Partner’s strength a miracle, says friend

05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

A next-door neighbour and close friend of Nicola Bulley has praised the strength of her partner Paul Ansell as “nothing short of a miracle”.

Charlotte Drake, whose children regularly play with Ms Bulley’s, said: “He does not want to break down on camera in view of millions of people watching and where his kids may see it.

“He has to remain strong as he has to hold on to hope we will find Nikki,” she told Metro.co.uk.

Ms Drake also described her friend as “without doubt the most beautiful person, inside and out who would do anything for anyone”.

“We joke she is the sort of mum we all want to be – loving, friendly and just a wonderful human being. Like Paul, we have to remain strong and have hope that we will get Nicola home,” she said.

“As neighbours and friends, we’ve all said from 11am on Day 1 when the police showed up… ‘She’s not in that river’.“My gut feeling remains the same. I honestly believe Nikki is not in the water.”

Images scoured for clues

05:05 , Jane Dalton

Broken CCTV camera ‘would have seen everything’ in Nicola Bulley disappearance

Underwater search expert explains why he doesn’t believe missing dog walker is in river

21:54 , Liam James

An underwater search for missing Nicola Bulley is continuing following a fresh appeal by her partner, who said her two daughters “desperately” miss her and “need her back”.

The search for Ms Bulley, 45, continues after she went missing on January 27 in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.

In a statement, Lancashire Police, her partner Paul Ansell said: “I have two little girls who miss their mummy desperately and who need her back.”

However, the head of a team of private underwater search experts cast doubt on the force’s current working hypothesis that Ms Bulley had fallen into the river.

Underwater expert explains why he doesn’t think missing Nicola Bulley is in river

Ribbons of hope tied to River Wyre bridge as search continues

04:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

People have tied yellow ribbons, adorned with messages of hope written on them, to a bridge over the River Wyre as the search for Nicola Bulley continues over two weeks after her disappearance.

Police continue to work on a hypothesis that Ms Bulley fell into the river, but searches have not found anything. Officers are now working on searching the river towards the sea at Morecambe Bay.

Watch here.

Messages of hope tied to River Wyre bridge as Nicola Bulley search continues

Timeline of mortgage adviser’s last known movements

04:05 , Jane Dalton

Timeline of Nicola Bulley’s mysterious disappearance

Any trace of Bulley will now be gone from site, says ex-cop

03:36 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Any trace of Nicola Bulley on the stretch of river where she was last seen will now be gone, a former Lancashire police officer has said.

Riverbanks and fields like the one in St Michael’s on Wyre where the missing mother-of-two walked her dog are “not very forensically friendly”, the retired officer told The Telegraph.

In anonymous remarks, he explained that there would be fingerprints and bootprints from lots of people in the area, especially now that two weeks have passed since she vanished on 27 January.

Liam James has more.

Any trace of Nicola Bulley will now be gone from disappearance site, says ex-cop

Reminder: Everything we know about Nicola Bulley’s disappearance so far

03:05 , Jane Dalton

Everything we know about Nicola Bulley’s disappearance so far

Posters made appealing for sightings

02:05 , Jane Dalton

Large posters have been created to appeal for sightings of missing Nicola Bulley:

Other women still missing

01:05 , Jane Dalton

At least 15 other women are still missing in the UK, their cases unsolved. This is what’s known about them:

The women still missing as police continue search for Nicola Bulley

Yellow ribbons that symbolise hope

00:05 , Jane Dalton

Residents and friends joined Nicola Bulley’s partner Paul Ansell in tying yellow ribbons, adorned with messages of hope, to a bridge over the River Wyre:

Messages of hope tied to River Wyre bridge as Nicola Bulley search continues

Former detectives share 8 key clues in Nicola Bulley’s disappearance – from fitbit to phone

21:42 , Liam James

Former detectives have shared eight key areas they think police should be investigating in order to gain insights into Nicola Bulley’s disappearance.

The search for the mother-of-two has entered its third week and despite combing the village of St Michael’s on Wyre, opening more than 500 lines of inquiry and looking all the way to Morecambe Bay, police are still at a loss as to what happened to Ms Bulley.

Mark Williams-Thomas, a former police detective turned journalist who exposed Jimmy Saville’s historic child abuse, and Mick Neville, a former Scotland Yard veteran, have shared what they think police should be focusing on.

Ex-detectives share 8 key clues in Nicola Bulley disappearance from fitbit to phone

How a private search team scoured the river

Sunday 12 February 2023 23:05 , Jane Dalton

A private search team used sonar to search the river earlier this week:

Police ‘took nine days to return call to key witness’

Sunday 12 February 2023 22:30 , Jane Dalton

Police took nine days to return a call from a key witness who reported seeing two men “hiding their faces” near where Nicola Bulley went missing, it’s been reported.

The resident said he spotted the men by a church not far from her dog-walking route the day before she disappeared.

He told The Sun Online that he phoned police to tell them he had seen the two men acting “strange” and hiding their faces.

He said: “I was away all that weekend so only heard about Nicola Bulley going missing on Sunday.

“I saw the police were appealing for information and it struck me that I should tell them what I saw, so I rang them on the Monday.”

The witness said no one called him back so he followed up on the Friday, a week after Ms Bulley vanished.

He called again on Monday, a week after his first call.

The man said: “I couldn’t understand it — there’s a woman missing and I’ve seen these men in the area. Why haven’t they called me?

“Then they called me back last Wednesday and took all the info.

“It’s frustrating — it would have been much better if I had been spoken to straight away as it was fresher in my mind.”

He said the men were carrying fishing rods and appeared to be wearing hats or hoods, which obscured their faces.

ICMYI: Police rule out crime

Sunday 12 February 2023 21:56 , Jane Dalton

In case you missed it: Five days ago police rejected the theory that missing Nicola Bulley could have been a victim of crime.

The National Crime Agency looked at the investigation by Lancashire Police and failed to identify any other suspicious line of inquiry, said Superintendent Sally Riley, of Lancashire Police.

Police reject suggestions Nicola Bulley could have been a victim of crime

Partner leaves heartbreaking message on yellow ribbon

Sunday 12 February 2023 21:32 , Jane Dalton

Nicola Bulley’s partner left a heartbreaking message on a yellow ribbon at a bridge over the river where she disappeared.

Paul Ansell was among friends and family members who tied ribbons to the railings.

Partner’s strength a miracle, says close friend and neighbour

Sunday 12 February 2023 19:55 , Jane Dalton

A next-door neighbour and close friend of Nicola Bulley has praised the strength of partner Paul Ansell as “nothing short of a miracle”.

Charlotte Drake, whose hildren regularly playing outside with Ms Bulley’s, said: “He does not want to break down on camera in view of millions of people watching and where his kids may see it.

“He has to remain strong as he has to hold on to hope we will find Nikki.”

She said that when many people would be sitting at home waiting for news, Mr Ansell “is using the media exactly as it should be used, to share the facts, highlight the lack of evidence and spread the word far and wide, so that he can hopefully reach someone that knows something”.

Ms Drake also described her friend as “without doubt the most beautiful person, inside and out who would do anything for anyone”.

“We joke she is the sort of mum we all want to be – loving, friendly and just a wonderful human being. Like Paul, we have to remain strong and have hope that we will get Nicola home,” she told Metro.co.uk.

“As neighbours and friends, we’ve all said from 11am on Day 1 when the police showed up… ‘She’s not in that river’.

“My gut feeling remains the same. I honestly believe Nikki is not in the water.”

Ms Drake dismissed speculation that Ms Bulley’s car keys were left in the ignition, saying the missing mother had them with her – something Mr Ansell wanted the public to know.

Of Ms Bulley, dog, she said: “Willow is the most beautiful dog who never, ever would leave Nikki’s side. I watched Nikki train Willow once and she is the best-behaved dog.”

‘Nikki would never, ever have left Willow, the girls and Paul. Ever.’

‘We need you home’: Messages on yellow ribbons

Sunday 12 February 2023 18:44 , Jane Dalton

Friends and family have shown that the missing mother of two has not been forgotten by leaving yellow ribbons with handwritten messages on a bridge close to where she disappeared.

A large poster with a photograph of Ms Bulley has also been attached to the railings:

Handwritten messages on yellow ribbons left for missing mother Nicola Bulley

Police still looking for clues

Sunday 12 February 2023 18:23 , Jane Dalton

Police were still searching for clues in the area today:

Any trace of Nicola will now be gone from site, says ex-police officer

Sunday 12 February 2023 17:53 , Jane Dalton

Any trace of Nicola Bulley on the stretch of river where she was last seen will now be gone, a former Lancashire police officer has said.

Riverbanks are “not very forensically friendly”, he said. Liam James reports:

Any trace of Nicola Bulley will now be gone from disappearance site, says ex-cop

ICYMI: Missing Nicola Bulley’s partner says ‘something happened that day’ as family ‘in hell’

Sunday 12 February 2023 16:40 , Matt Mathers

Paul Ansell tells ‘‘Vanished: Where is Nicola Bulley?’ the family will never give up the search in 75 minute special

Joe Middleton reports:

Nicola Bulley’s partner says ‘something happened that day’ as family ‘in hell’

5 things forensics expert claims don’t add up about dog walker’s disappearance

Sunday 12 February 2023 16:20 , Matt Mathers

From the mobile phone on the bench to the calmness of her dog, this is what the divers ‘can’t get their head around’.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain reports:

5 things forensics expert claims don’t add up about missing dog walker disappearance

ICYMI: ‘Police say my missing uncle fell in the river – why aren’t they helping us like Nicola Bulley?’

Sunday 12 February 2023 15:55 , Matt Mathers

The family of a missing man presumed to have fallen into a river has criticised the police’s handling of the case compared to the huge search for Nicola Bulley.

Will Mata and Adam Dutton report:

‘Police say missing uncle fell in river – why don’t they help like Nicola Bulley?’

ICYMI: Missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s final text before she disappeared revealed

Sunday 12 February 2023 15:24 , Matt Mathers

Missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s final text before she “vanished into thin air” has been revealed.

The 45-year-old was last seen walking her dog by the river in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on Friday 27 January. She was still logged into a Microsoft Teams call which had ended at 9.30am when her phone was recovered.

Just half an hour earlier, the mother of two had texted a friend to book a playdate. She sent the message at 8.57am shortly before logging into the Teams call, locals at a village meeting were told.

Eleanor Royce reports:

Missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s final text before she disappeared revealed

‘Nothing to suggest’ tatty red van spotted on day of Nicola Bulley disappearance is suspicious

Sunday 12 February 2023 14:50 , Matt Mathers

There is “nothing to suggest” the red van spotted on the day of Nicola Bulley’s disappearance is suspicious, Lancashire Police have said.

Police have confirmed that they are making efforts to identify the owner but there is no reason to suspect it is anything other than one of many hundreds of vehicles in the area that morning.

Martha McHardy reports:

‘Nothing to suggest’ red van spotted on day Bulley vanished is suspicious

ICYMI: Witness ‘saw two suspicious men’ before Nicola Bulley’s disappearance

Sunday 12 February 2023 14:15 , Matt Mathers

A witness has told police he saw two men acting suspiciously near the route that Nicola Bulley regularly walked her dog on the day before her disappearance, it has been claimed.

The witness, who did not wish to share his account publicly, said he spotted the pair outside the church in St Michael’s on Wyre and on a nearby bridge on 26 January.

A worker at a local garage said the witness gave information to police after officers asked for anyone who had been in the area around the time the mother-of-two was last seen to come forward, according to The Sun.

Liam James reports:

Witness ‘saw two suspicious men’ before Nicola Bulley’s disappearance

Messages of hope tied to River Wyre bridge as Nicola Bulley search continues

Sunday 12 February 2023 13:56 , Matt Mathers

People have tied yellow ribbons, adorned with messages of hope written on them, to a bridge over the River Wyre as the search for Nicola Bulley continues over two weeks after her disappearance.

The mortgage adviser, 45, vanished on 27 January while walking her dog near the river in St Michael’s on Wyre after dropping her daughters, aged six and nine, at school.

Police continue to work on a hypothesis that Ms Bulley fell into the river, but searches have not found anything.

Officers are now working on searching the river towards the sea at Morecambe Bay.

Holly Patrick reports:

Messages of hope tied to River Wyre bridge as Nicola Bulley search continues

ICYMI: The CCTV blind spots that could hold key to Nicola Bulley’s disappearance

Sunday 12 February 2023 13:20 , Matt Mathers

A number of CCTV blindspots have been identified as the hunt for missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley continues.

Police launched a search operation along the riverbank that has now extended to the sea, and have been working on the hypothesis Ms Bulley fell into the river.

Multiple searches of an area near the bench, the suspected “entry point” of where Ms Bulley could have gone into the water, have been conducted by police divers and underwater search experts.

Joe Middleton reports:

The CCTV blind spots that could hold key to Nicola Bulley’s disappearance

The women still missing as police continue search for Nicola Bulley

Sunday 12 February 2023 13:00 , Matt Mathers

As the search for Ms Bulley continues, we take a look at the cases of other women who remain missing.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain reports:

The women still missing as police continue search for Nicola Bulley

Meet the armchair detectives determined to solve the Nicola Bulley case

Sunday 12 February 2023 12:40 , Matt Mathers

Since the disappearance of the mother-of-two last month, budding Sherlocks have flooded online discussion boards to try to solve the case and point fingers – leading to police frustration. Ben Bryant speaks to them:

Meet the armchair detectives determined to solve the Nicola Bulley case

Recap – a timeline of Nicola’s disappearance

Sunday 12 February 2023 12:22 , Matt Mathers

Nicola Bulley, 45, a mortgage advisor, was last seen on 27 January around 9.20am while walking her dog alongside the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.

Below is a full timeline of the events leading up to her disappearance:

Timeline of Nicola Bulley’s mysterious disappearance

Police widen investigation to include day before Nicola Bulley went missing

Sunday 12 February 2023 12:00 , Matt Mathers

Lancashire Police has widened its investigation to include the day before missing dog walker Nicola Bulley disappeared.

Detectives returned to the village of St Michael’s on Wyre last week to request CCTV from the day before Nicola Bulley vanished on 27th January.

Police requested CCTV footage from a local garage that covers one of the key exit points from the fields where she went missing.

My colleague Martha McHardy reports:

Police widen investigation to include day before Nicola Bulley went missing

Friends slam ‘ludicrous’ troll claims that partner is not showing enough emotion

Sunday 12 February 2023 11:35 , Matt Mathers

Friends of Nicola Bulley have hit back at “ludicrous” claims by online trolls that the missing mother’s partner for apparently not showing emotion during TV interviews and appeals.

Mr Ansell was recently interviewed by Channel 5 and issue a plea to police to search every building in the area to find her.

He is also scepitcal of the theory that his partner is in the river.

Close friend Heather Gibbons told The Mail on Sunday: “He didn’t show emotion because he didn’t want his girls to see him broken on national television.

‘His girls are the priority. When you have a multitude of cameras pointing at you, that’s nerve-racking enough.

“Then there’s the knowledge that the interview is going out across national television with people scrutinising you. Think how that must be for the poor guy.”

‘Final push’ social media campaign lunched to find Nicola

Sunday 12 February 2023 11:10 , Matt Mathers

Nicola Bulley’s friends and family have launched a “final push” social media campaign to find the missing mother-of-two.

Using the slogan ‘Bring Nikki Home’, friends and family urged people to change their social media profile pictures to an image of Ms Bulley with a gold background and two yellow hearts to raise awareness.

It was shared by her partner Paul, sister and close friend Emma White who said the “search is still ongoing for that vital piece of information to find Nikki”.

Police were wrong to say Nicola is in river – former senior Met officer

Sunday 12 February 2023 10:45 , Matt Mathers

Police working on the disappearance of Nicola Bulley made a mistake by saying that she was in the river, an ex-senior Metropolitan Police officer has said.

Writing in The Mail on Sunday, former superintendent Phillip Flower echoed the comments of search and rescue expert Peter Faulding, who also believes the river theory is wrong.

“Neither the facts nor the evidence support this official hypothesis,” Mr Flower says. “Ms Bulley was a good swimmer. The water wasn’t fast flowing. There are no slip-marks on the riverbank. And there doesn’t appear to be anything that would indicate she could have hit her head and become unconscious”.

Detectives handed new CCTV from garage

Sunday 12 February 2023 10:13 , Matt Mathers

Detectives investigating Nicola Bulley’s disappearance have been given new CCTV footage from a garage near where she was last seen, it has been reported.

The footage covers the 24 hours before Ms Bulley vanished while walking her dog along the river in St Micahel’s on Wyre more than two weeks ago.

A garage worker, who did not want to be named, told The Sun on Sunday: “Two smartly dressed officers came in following up, a man and a woman.

“They wanted the CCTV from the day before Nicola vanished and to take statements of any activity we had seen from that day.

“These officers were different to the ones in uniform, they seemed assertive”.

Missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s final text before she disappeared revealed

Sunday 12 February 2023 06:58 , Joe Middleton

Missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s final text before she “vanished into thin air” has been revealed.

The 45-year-old was last seen walking her dog by the river in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on Friday 27 January. She was still logged into a Microsoft Teams call which had ended at 9.30am when her phone was recovered.

Just half an hour earlier, the mother of two had texted a friend to book a playdate. She sent the message at 8.57am shortly before logging into the Teams call, locals at a village meeting were told.

Missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s final text before she disappeared revealed

Nicola Bulley’s disappearance isn’t a Netflix series – stop treating it like one

Sunday 12 February 2023 06:45 , Joe Middleton

The people who love Nicola Bulley are desperate for any sighting of her. They don’t need internet speculators and armchair conspiracists coming up with the very worst of endings, writes Emma Christie.

Opinion: Stop treating Nicola Bulley’s disappearance like a Netflix series

Speculation over Nicola Bulley disappearance ‘hurtful’ for family, police say

Sunday 12 February 2023 05:45 , Joe Middleton

The CCTV blind spots that could hold key to Nicola Bulley’s disappearance

Sunday 12 February 2023 04:45 , Joe Middleton

A number of CCTV blindspots have been identified as the hunt for missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley continues.

Ms Bulley, 45, vanished while walking her springer spaniel dog Willow alongside the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre on 27 January.

She had dropped off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school and was on her usual walk when she disappeared, her phone was found on a bench overlooking the river.

The CCTV blind spots that could hold key to Nicola Bulley’s disappearance

Police tell ‘so-called experts’ to stop commenting on missing Nicola Bulley case

Sunday 12 February 2023 03:45 , Joe Middleton

Police have urged people to refrain from indulging in commentary and conspiracy theories about missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley.

The 45-year-old disappeared while walking her springer spaniel dog Willow, alongside the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre on January 27, sparking a major ongoing police search effort.

On Friday, Lancashire Police appeared to call out social media sleuths for their “hurtful abuse of innocent people” in relation to the case.

Police tell ‘so-called experts’ to stop commenting on missing Nicola Bulley case

Friend of missing mother Nicola Bulley speaks of ‘agonising wait’ for news

Sunday 12 February 2023 02:45 , Joe Middleton

A close friend of missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley has told of the “agony” of waiting for news, following an emotional vigil at their local village church two weeks after she vanished.

Ms Bulley, 45, and her family would attend medieval St Michael’s Church on the banks of the River Wyre in Lancashire, just a couple of hundred yards from where she disappeared.

The silent vigil was held before a small altar, with candles lit around a photo of smiling Ms Bulley and her partner, Paul Ansell.

Friend of missing mother Nicola Bulley speaks of ‘agonising wait’ for news

ICYMI: Nicola Bulley’s friends gather for roadside appeal in bid to find missing mother

Sunday 12 February 2023 01:45 , Joe Middleton

The women still missing as police continue search for Nicola Bulley

Sunday 12 February 2023 00:45 , Joe Middleton

Police continue to search for missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley, whose disappearance has left forensic experts “baffled”.

The 45-year-old disappeared while on her regular dog walk in the quiet village of St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire on the morning of 27 January.

Dropping her children off at school, she took her spaniel Willow for a stroll by the river and was sighted at around 9am by a witness but despite an extensive search, her disappearance remains a mystery.

The women still missing as police continue search for Nicola Bulley

Nicola Bulley: 5 things forensics expert claims don’t add up about dog walker’s disappearance

Saturday 11 February 2023 23:45 , Joe Middleton

A forensic expert leading the underwater search for missing Nicola Bulley has been left “baffled” by “strange” events in the mother’s disappearance.

The 45-year-old disappeared while on her regular dog walk in the quiet village of St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.

Dropping her children off at school, she took her spaniel Willow for a stroll by the river and was sighted at around 9am by a witness but despite an extensive search, she has yet to be found.

5 things forensics expert claims don’t add up about missing dog walker disappearance

Witness reports two ‘suspicious’ men spotted day before Nicola Bulley disappearance

Saturday 11 February 2023 22:37 , Joe Middleton

A witness has told police that two men were acting suspiciously near the route that Nicola Bulley regularly walks her dog Willow, just a day before her disappearance.

The witness, who does not want to go public with their account of events, reportedly spotted the duo outside the local church and on a nearby bridge on January 26.

It comes as officers requested footage from St Michael’s Garage last Thursday that covered the 24 hours before Ms Bulley disappeared, as reported by The Sun.

A garage worker who did not want to be named, said: “Two smartly dressed officers came in following up, a man and a woman.

“They wanted the CCTV from the day before Nicola vanished and to take statements of any activity we had seen from that day.

“These officers were different to the ones in uniform, they seemed very assertive.”

The employee knows the witness and said they have already gone to the police about what they saw at the local church.

Video ‘disproves’ theory that Nicola Bulley in river, according to forensic expert

Saturday 11 February 2023 22:24 , Joe Middleton

Meet the armchair detectives determined to solve the Nicola Bulley case

Saturday 11 February 2023 21:45 , Joe Middleton

Since the disappearance of the mother-of-two last month, budding Sherlocks have flooded online discussion boards to try to solve the case and point fingers – leading to police frustration. Ben Bryant speaks to them.

Meet the armchair detectives determined to solve the Nicola Bulley case

ICYMI: Nicola Bulley’s friends gather for roadside appeal in bid to find missing mother

Saturday 11 February 2023 20:41 , Joe Middleton

Police tell ‘so-called experts’ to stop commenting on missing Nicola Bulley case

Saturday 11 February 2023 20:23 , Joe Middleton

Police have urged people to refrain from indulging in commentary and conspiracy theories about missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley.

The 45-year-old disappeared while walking her springer spaniel dog Willow, alongside the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre on January 27, sparking a major ongoing police search effort.

On Friday, Lancashire Police appeared to call out social media sleuths for their “hurtful abuse of innocent people” in relation to the case.

Police tell ‘so-called experts’ to stop commenting on missing Nicola Bulley case

‘Police say my missing uncle fell in the river – why aren’t they helping us like Nicola Bulley?’

Saturday 11 February 2023 19:07 , Joe Middleton

The family of a missing man presumed to have fallen into a river has criticised the police’s handling of the case compared to the huge search for Nicola Bulley.

Mark Bishop, 64, disappeared without a trace after he was last seen near an Aldi supermarket in Newark, Nottinghamshire, on 7 January.

Police believe he may have fallen into the nearby River Trent after crossing over a bridge.

‘Police say missing uncle fell in river – why don’t they help like Nicola Bulley?’

‘Any news on mummy?’: Nicola Bulley’s children asking daily about search, says friend

Saturday 11 February 2023 18:09 , Joe Middleton

Nicola Bulley: 5 things forensics expert claims don’t add up about dog walker’s disappearance

Saturday 11 February 2023 17:37 , Joe Middleton

A forensic expert leading the underwater search for missing Nicola Bulley has been left “baffled” by “strange” events in the mother’s disappearance.

The 45-year-old disappeared while on her regular dog walk in the quiet village of St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.

Dropping her children off at school, she took her spaniel Willow for a stroll by the river and was sighted at around 9am by a witness but despite an extensive search, she has yet to be found.

5 things forensics expert claims don’t add up about missing dog walker disappearance

The nine women still missing as police continue search for Nicola Bulley

Saturday 11 February 2023 16:55 , Joe Middleton

Police continue to search for missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley, whose disappearance has left forensic experts “baffled”.

The 45-year-old disappeared while on her regular dog walk in the quiet village of St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire on the morning of 27 January.

Dropping her children off at school, she took her spaniel Willow for a stroll by the river and was sighted at around 9am by a witness but despite an extensive search, her disappearance remains a mystery.

The women still missing as police continue search for Nicola Bulley

ICYMI: Video ‘disproves’ theory that Nicola Bulley in river, according to forensic expert

Saturday 11 February 2023 16:17 , Joe Middleton

Forensic expert offer opinion on police’s “worst mistake” in Nicola Bulley case

Saturday 11 February 2023 13:45 , Joseph Rachman

Peter Faulding, a diving and forensics expert, has criticised how the police have conduted the search for Nicola Bulley.

Mr Faulding, whose Specialist Internationalist Group firm searched a stretch of the river where Ms Bulley was last seen, said: “I think the worst mistake the police have made was to declare early on that she’s in the river rather than saying ‘let’s keep lines of inquiry open’” he said. “This is a lady who knew this area intimately, she was slim and fit, and if she had fallen she could have grabbed on to the bank.”

Friends of Nicola Bulley gather for another roadside appeal for information

Saturday 11 February 2023 10:41 , Joseph Rachman

Friends of Nicola Bulley have gathered for another roadside appeal two weeks on from her disappearance.

Locals have been standing on by the road in St Michael’s on Wyre, with banners showing Ms Bulley’s face and pleas for help.

“The local community are coming out again today to just raise that profile, trying to jog anybody’s memory, dashcam footage of Garstang Road, which is just outside of the village of St Michael’s on Wyre, just by the bridge that you go over,” said Emma White, a friend of Ms Bulley’s, talking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Friday.

“It is quite a key part of the village so people would remember going over it. Did they see anything?”

“We’re out with banners, we’ve got placards of Nikki’s face, we’ve got a moving eight-foot LED board with her face on it with the message ‘Bring Nikki home’.”

Ms White added: “It is just a rollercoaster, it is almost like torture — the despair, the unimaginable frustration in the sense that everyone has come together, working so hard: the police, the community, people on the ground.”

“You expect to be rewarded for when you put hard work in, so we just need something, anything, a piece of information that can lead us down a different inquiry.”

Search for Nicola Bulley enters 16th day

Saturday 11 February 2023 10:02 , Joseph Rachman

The search for Nicola Bulley has entered its 16th day.

The search is continuing to focus on the River Wyre, working on the theory that Ms Bulley fell in. Lancashire Police are leading the search helped by specialists and divers from HM Coastguard, mountain rescue, and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. Sniffer dogs, drones, and police helicopters have also been deployed.

However, Ms Bulley’s family continues to question whether she fell into the river. Speaking to the press her broken husband, Paul Ansell, insisted that his “gut instinct” is that she is not in the river.

Family of missing man thought to have fallen into the River Trent ask why their case isn’t getting more attention

Saturday 11 February 2023 09:03 , Joseph Rachman

The family of a missing man thought to have fallen into the River Trent has criticised the police’s response, asking why his case seems to have been given less resources and attention than the huge search for Nicola Bulley.

Mark Bishop, 64, disappeared without a trace on January 7 2023. He was last seen near an Aldi supermarket in Newark, in Nottinghamshire,

Police believe he may have fallen into the nearby river after crossing over a bridge.

His niece Claire Arbuthnott, who lives in Edinburgh, said: “We are very unhappy because for the past few weeks the police have been saying he’s fallen in the river and that’s all they can tell us.”

She added: “Surely my uncle is just as important as this poor woman. My mother, Mark’s sister, cries pretty much every time we mention his name.”

‘Someone in the village knows something’ says Nicola Bulley’s partner

Saturday 11 February 2023 08:13 , Joseph Rachman

Someone in the village must know something about Nicola Bulley’s disappearance claimed Paul Ansell, Nicola Bulley’s partner, in an interview on Channel 5.

Speaking to Channel 5’s Dan Walker Mr Ansell said: “Whatever has happened in my eyes has to be somebody who, who knows the local area, who knows that. And the fact that nothing’s been seen or heard, I just truly believe that it’s something in the village.”

Mr Ansell explained that he and his wife had done the same walk for years. “And you see the same faces every single day, and on the very odd occasion when you see somebody that you know, you, you don’t know, they, they stand out like a sore thumb.”

Mr Ansell also grew emotional as he discussed his wife’s disappearance.

“It is horrendous because you, you people don’t just vanish into thin air. It’s absolutely impossible. So something has happened,”

He went on to beg for the search for his partner to be stepped up.

“My plea now is personally, I want every house, every garage, every out building, the land scrutinised. I want it all searched. I want it all scrutinised, every piece of it. And I’m, you’re not gonna appease me with anything else. That, that is what I want to happen.”

Disappearance of Nicola Bulley is bringing new attention to the mysterious disappearances of several other women

Saturday 11 February 2023 07:56 , Joseph Rachman

The disappearance of Nicola Bulley, which has left experts “baffled”, is bringing new attention to the mysterious disappearances of several other women, writes Maryam Zakir-Hussain.

A total of nine woman are still registered as missing by the police. The oldest case is of Fatima Mohamed-Ali, 52-years-old, who disappeared without a trace seven years ago on 12 February 2016.

She left her home shortly after her husband left the house for work and was last seen on CCTV at around 7.58am that morning. She did not take any personal belongings with her such as a handbag, money or keys.

Sussex Police had searched woodland areas and rivers in Newhaven and the surrounding area as part of the investigation.

Reminder of the timeline of her disappearance

Saturday 11 February 2023 07:00 , Sam Rkaina

8.26am- Nicola leaves her home address with her children

8.40am- Nicola drops the children off at school and has a brief conversation with another parent.

8.43am – Nicola walked along the path by the River Wyre towards the gate/bench into the lower field, having dropped her children off at school

8:47am (approximately) – A dog-walker – somebody who knows Nicola – saw her walking around the lower field with her dog. Their two dogs interacted briefly before the witness left the field via the river path

8.53am – She sent an email to her boss

8.59 am- She sent message to a friend

9.01am – She logged into a Teams call

9.10am (approximately) – A witness – somebody who knows Nicola – saw her on the upper field walking her dog, Willow. Work is ongoing today to establish exactly what time this was.

9.20- Her phone was back in the area of the bench

9.30am – The Teams call ended but Nicola stayed logged on

9.33am (approximately) – Nicola’s mobile phone and Willow were found at a bench by the river by another dog-walker.

‘So-called experts and ill informed speculation’

Saturday 11 February 2023 06:01 , Sam Rkaina

Police investigators also criticised ‘speculation and conspiracy theories’ that the case has attracted.

“Our priority throughout this investigation has been on finding Nicola and providing answers for her family,” the spokeperson said. “They continue to be supported and regularly updated by specially trained officers.

“Unfortunately, we continue to see groundless and hurtful abuse of innocent people, including witnesses and local businesses, which is totally unacceptable

“We also continue to see a huge amount of commentary from so-called experts, ill-informed speculation and conspiracy theories which is damaging to the investigation, the community of St Michael’s and, worst of all, to Nicola’s family. It must stop.”

Police downplay significance of ‘red van’

Saturday 11 February 2023 05:03 , Sam Rkaina

Lancashire Police said: “We are aware of reports in the media about a red van being reported to us.

“We would like to stress that while this has been reported to us and we are making efforts to identify the owner at this time there is nothing to suggest this was anything other than one of many hundreds of vehicles in the area that morning.

“The inquiry team are working through hundreds of pieces of information and reports such as this in the media can distract them from genuine enquiries.”

Force insists – again – there is nothing to suggest third party involvement

Saturday 11 February 2023 04:02 , Sam Rkaina

“Throughout this investigation we have been keeping an open mind about what might have happened to Nicola, and we continue to look at all the potential scenarios to eliminate them,” the police statement continued. “We are reviewing our decisions regularly.

“Based on all the work we have done up to now our belief remains that Nicola may have fallen into the river for some reason, but we are continuing to investigate all possible leads, and this involves viewing CCTV, Dashcam footage and speaking to people who are providing us with information.

“It remains the case that at the present time there is absolutely nothing in all the extensive enquiries we have made that suggests anything untoward has happened or that there is any third-party involvement in Nicola’s disappearance, but the investigation is ongoing.”

Police explain ‘less activity’ on river

Saturday 11 February 2023 03:03 , Sam Rkaina

Lancashire Police issued a lengthy new statement on the ongoing search on Friday night.

It stated: “It’s now exactly two weeks since Nicola Bulley went missing and our search for the mum-of two is continuing.

“Specialist resources including underwater search teams, drones, mounted and the police helicopter will be out today as we comb the River Wyre and down and out into the sea.

“People may have seen less police activity in the last day or two than previously around the river above the weir at St Michael’s but that is not because we have stepped down our searches, it is because the focus of the search has moved further downstream into the area of the river which becomes tidal and then out towards the coast.”

Partner ‘feels like he’s in the Truman Show’

Saturday 11 February 2023 02:05 , Sam Rkaina

Talking about his children, Mr Ansell went on: “The only thing, the only thing that I can do is tell them that everybody is looking for mummy.

“The best people in the world are looking for mummy – just to give them that, you know, that level of hope that they can understand that everything that can be done to find mummy, is being done.”

Asked how he feels about the situation, Mr Ansell added: “Anger, loads of frustration, confusion, disbelief, surrealism, nothing feels real.”

He continued “It just doesn’t feel real… I feel like I’m in The Truman Show. I honestly believe I’m going to wake up at any moment… how are we even in this? We are good people.”

‘Nikki would never give up’

Saturday 11 February 2023 01:02 , Sam Rkaina

Police have discounted foul play and are treating the incident as a missing person inquiry, believing that Ms Bulley has fallen into the water.

But police say they are still keeping an “open mind” and have been appealing for information.

Focus of the police search on Thursday switched from St Michael’s to around 10 miles downstream where the river empties into the sea at Morecambe Bay, with police patrol boats and rescue boats spotted on the river and in the bay.

Mr Ansell said the family was going through “unprecedented hell”.

“But that hope and that positivity in me is stronger than ever, and I’m never, ever going to let go,” he said.

“Nikki would never give up on us ever. She wouldn’t give up on anybody. And we’re not going to ever give up on her, we’re going to find her.”

Nicola Bulley is ‘pillar of strength’

Saturday 11 February 2023 00:01 , Sam Rkaina

Ms Bulley had dropped off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school and was on her usual walk when she disappeared, her phone – still connected to a call for her job as a mortgage adviser – was found on a bench overlooking the river.

Despite a huge search of the river and surrounding countryside by Lancashire Police, no trace of her has been found.

Speaking about his partner, Mr Ansell went on: “She is fun. She is loving. If you’re friends with her, she’s the most loyal friend that you could ever have.

“With Nikki, what you see is what you get. There’s no hidden, nothing’s hidden.

“You know, it’s all. That’s, that’s her. And she is an exceptional mum and she absolutely adores our girls. And goes above and beyond.”

He added: “She’s just a pillar of strength to our family and without her, the hole is bigger than you can possibly imagine.”

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent’s website