A close friend of missing mum Nicola Bulley has spoken out about the 'agony' of waiting for news as search teams continue to investigate the river near where she vanished.
A search alongside the River Wyre in St Michael's, adjacent to a bench where her phone was recovered, has continued operations, however, no trace of the 45-year-old is yet to be found. The force has continued to insist that foul play is not considered and are treating the incident as a missing person inquiry.
A silent vigil was held at St Michael's Church on the banks of the River Wyre. The vigil was held before a small altar with candles lit around a photo of Ms Bulley and her partner, Paul Ansell.
Heather Gibbons, a family friend who attended the church vigil, said: “It’s the hub in the community, it’s a place where we’ve frequently been with Nikki. She would often be here with her girls and with Paul. So yes, I’m sat in there thinking of the times where I’ve sat next to her, in the church, and really wishing I could go back … just, yeah, wishing she was here.
“That’s exactly what it is, it’s an agonising wait, it’s almost a hell above hell, because the unknown is unbearable. So, this morning at 10 o’clock we just opened the church for people to come and to light a candle, just to have a chance to come, a space to collect their thoughts, to be together.
“It’s not a vigil in that we’ve lost hope, it’s almost trying to create that moment of hope for everybody to keep supporting one another. We just needed a space to be able to think and pray and collect our thoughts for the family and for Nikki.
“There’s been a lovely little turnout of people who just wanted to come and have that moment. The family are on the worst rollercoaster of their lives, they are still holding on to hope, that there’s a chance we will get Nikki home safe.
“They have the same thinking that nothing is making sense. They are just desperate for some evidence that will pinpoint exactly what has happened.”
Ms Bulley vanished while walking her springer spaniel dog Willow alongside the River Wyre on January 27. She had dropped her daughters off at school and was on her regular walk when she disappeared.
Mrs Gibbons added: “At the moment the police have been clear as to what their working hypothesis is, but it is exactly that, it is a hypothesis. I have spoken to police along with other friends and family and they have made it clear all avenues are still open.
“They are encouraging everyone to keep open-minded, the words were, they have not got their blinkers on. We are hopeful, we’re still holding on to hope.”
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.
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