Police searching for missing mother Nicola Bulley have hit out at “ill-informed speculation” they say has distracted detectives.
In a bid to address intense online speculation around the dog walker’s mystery disappearance – and criticism of the investigation – Lancashire Police held a press conference on Wednesday to shed light on “exactly we have done over the last 19 days”.
Ms Bulley disappeared while walking her springer spaniel, Willow, in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre after she dropped her two daughters - aged six and nine - at school on 27 January.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, assistant chief constable Peter Lawson defended his force’s investigation into the case of the missing mother-of-two,
Setting out the details of the probe in more detail than police “normally” would, he said the scale has been “unprecedented”.
Here are 11 key things we learned from the latest police update:
1. Ms Bulley deemed ‘high risk’
Detectives said they deemed Ms Bulley to be at high risk when she was reported missing due to “specific vulnerabilities” they were made aware of.
“As soon as she was reported missing, following the information that was provided to the police by her partner Paul, and based on a number of specific vulnerabilities that we were made aware of, Nicola was graded as high-risk,” said detective superintendent Becky Smith, who is leading the investigation.
“That is normal in a missing person investigation with the information we were in possession of.”
Police refused to elaborate on exactly what the “specific vulnerabilities” were and did not explain why that information was not released previously.
2. Detectives double down on river theory
Police stayed firm to their suspicion Ms Bulley fell into the river at St Michael’s on Wyre, though admitted the force could not be “100 per cent sure” this was the case.
Ms Smith said: “I have told you that my working hypothesis is, at the moment, through all the information that we have gathered, that the likelihood is that Nicola has unfortunately gone in the river.
“However, I have to stress this because this has been continually misconstrued, I cannot be 100 per cent certain of that at the minute because we are continuing, it’s a live investigation, and there is always information coming in.
“But we are in the 20th day, we have had a thorough, dedicated, meticulous investigation and there is not one single piece of information that’s come to note that would suggest that Nicola has left those fields.”
3. Police inundated with false information
Police said they are being “inundated with false information, accusations and rumours” about the mother-of-two’s disappearance.
Speaking at the press conference, Ms Smith hit out at the “persistent myths” disseminated about the case.
The lead investigator told of amateur sleuths and social media video-makers distracting “significantly” from police efforts to find Ms Bulley.
Asked by the BBC asked if “social media video makers and wannabe detectives have been an annoyance or a hindrance in the enquiry”, Ms Smith replied: “Yes, it has significantly distracted the investigation. In 29 years’ police service I’ve never seen anything like it. Some of it’s been quite shocking and really hurtful to the family.
“Obviously, we can’t disregard anything and we’ve reviewed everything that’s come in but of course it has distracted us significantly.
“But as long as we are prioritising, which we do constantly on the information that’s coming in, that will not distract us from the priority actions that we’ve been completing.”
4. The Glove
Police say a stained glove found near to where Ms Bulley vanished does not belong to her.
“In terms of the glove that has been recovered, you’ll no doubt be aware that TikTokers have been playing their own private detectives and have been in the area,” Ms Smith told reporters.
“A glove has been recovered that is not believed to be relevant to the investigation, it is not Nicola‘s but we have got that in our possession.”
5. No evidence of crime
Police continue to stress there is “no evidence to indicate a criminal aspect or third party involvement” in Ms Bulley’s disappearance.
“However, the officers involved in the investigation are the same experienced specialists and many senior officers who are concerned with the investigation of the most serious and complex crimes,” Mr Lawson added.
6. Police ‘hope more than anything’ to find missing mother alive
There has been no sign of Ms Bulley since her disappearance, even after detectives extended the search for her to the sea on 3 February.
Asked if she hoped to find her alive, Ms Smith said: “I hope with all my heart that we find Nicola Bulley alive more than anything.”
However, she added she could not be “100% certain” of force’s hypothesis that she fell in the river.
7. Detectives address red van speculation
Police addressed speculation over reports of a red van in the area on the morning of Ms Bulley‘s disappearance.
A witness reportedly contacted police to report a “tatty red van” parked in the village the day the dog walker went missing.
The 55-year-old witness, who had not been named, told The Times they saw the van “in Hall Lane outside a barn”. The St Michaels on Wyre resident said the vehicle was the “sort of van you can live in”.
But police today announced that the presence of the red van was not being treated as suspicious.
Ms Smith added: “The red van, we’re really grateful to members of the public for ringing into the inquiry, we wouldn’t have got this far without everyone’s help.”
8. ‘No one on Teams call would have been able to hear what happened’
Ms Smith said that Nicola Bulley was holding her phone in her hand as she listened to the Teams call, as seen by a witness the morning of her disappearance.
The senior investigating officer stressed this point to address queries about why the phone was on a bench, rather than in Ms Bulley’s pocket.
No one else on the Teams call would have been able to hear or see what happened to Ms Bulley during the duration of her work call, she added.
9. Officers seek contact with fishermen
The leading investigator said police had made numerous appeals to fishermen reportedly seen the day before Ms Bulley vanished.
However, Ms Smith said she does not believe the fisherman are suspicious, but still wants to speak with them.
10. Police to take over Ms Bulley’s social media
Lancashire Police officers will take over Ms Bulley’s social media accounts in order to examine her phone, detectives revealed.
Speaking at the conference, Ms Smith said “further work” was needed on the force’s digital enquiries.
She said the family was “aware” officers will probe the missing mother’s social media accounts.
She also warned this “might show Nicola as being online”, adding: “I want to make this really clear, we have control of this phone, this will be the police that is doing these enquiries and nobody needs to be concerned or contact the incident room about this.”
11. Update on FitBit
Ms Smith also touched on Nicola’s Fitbit, which has been a main focus for armchair detectives examining her disappearance.
She said despite expert technicians looking at the fitness equipment, there is “no further information”. This is because it had not been synced for a number of days.
