Lancashire police speaking to ‘potentially key witness’ in hunt for missing woman

A police poster appeals for help to find Nicola Bulley, 45, who was last seen walking her dog along the River Wyre in Lancashire on Friday. Photograph: Paul Greenwood/Rex/Shutterstock

Police searching for a woman who went missing soon after taking her daughters to school are speaking to a “potentially key witness” about her disappearance.

Detectives said the man, who is in his 70s, was in the area when Nicola Bulley, 45, was last seen alive in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre, in Lancashire, on Friday morning.

Police emphasised that they were treating Bulley’s disappearance as a missing persons inquiry and that there was not believed to be any third-party involvement at this stage.

Detectives said Bulley, known as Nikki, was seen at 9.20am while on a work conference call, walking the family’s springer spaniel Willow.

Police searching the river area in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire on 31 January. Photograph: Paul Greenwood/Rex/Shutterstock

The man is believed to have spoken to a woman who found Willow a short time after Bulley went missing. He then walked to the nearby holiday and residential park, Rowanwater.

Supt Sally Riley, of Lancashire constabulary, said the force was “extremely concerned” for Bulley but that “there is nothing to suggest any third-party involvement” in her disappearance.

Police said the call was believed to have been live when Bulley’s phone was found on a bench near the river, with Willow found nearby.

Bulley’s partner, Paul Ansell, on Monday described the search as “perpetual hell” and said Bulley had “two little girls that need their mummy home”.

In a statement on Tuesday, her family said: “We have been overwhelmed by the support from our community and would like to thank everyone for their ongoing efforts to help us find Nicola. The girls are desperate to have their mummy back home safe with them and your ongoing efforts have provided comfort to them whilst we await news on Nicola.

“We ask for anyone who thinks they may have any information that may help the police find Nicola to please come forward and help them with their inquiries.”

Bulley’s friend Heather Gibbons told Sky News that they were praying for good news: “We want to hold on to the hope that no news is good news. But knowing Nicky, we just know that if she could be at home with her girls we very firmly believe that is where she would be.”