A team of specialist underwater searchers looking for a missing mum will call off their operation from today, according to the head of the team.
The head of Specialist Group International (SGI), Peter Faulding, has said that he is "100 per cent" sure that Nicola Bulley is not in the area of river they have been searching with their specialist equipment.
Mr Faulding said the family are "clearly distraught" as he spoke to reporters at the scene on the third day of his team searching the water. Asked what he believes happened to Nicola, he said: "Normally a drowning victim goes to the bottom. There was a bit of flow on the river that day, I wasn't here on the day it happened but normally we recover them within a few metres. My only point there is that the police divers did thoroughly search that stretch of water - a highly competent search in that part of the river."
Read more: Nicola Bulley latest updates as huge search for missing mum continues
He added: "Obviously you've got the weir in the way. We're not always right, we do our best, but if Nicola has managed to get over the weir and she's gone down that way then I would have thought that she would have surfaced by now and been found by dog walkers."
The diving team are a specialist group brought in by the family who have been working alongside the police. The police investigation and searches will continue.
It comes after Nicola Bulley's partner attended the spot where police believe she fell into the River Wyre earlier today. Paul Ansell spent 10 minutes on the riverbank near the location where Ms Bulley's phone was found.
Mr Ansell spoke with Mr Faulding, who was called in by the family to aid police with the search. It appears Mr Faulding explained aspects of his team's search to Mr Ansell.
Police divers have also been carrying out searches of parts of the river close to the bench. Two police dinghies were spotted setting off from the riverbank and heading upstream to continue the search.
On Tuesday, Superintendent Sally Riley said detective had examined "every single" potential suspicion or criminal suggestion that had come in and discounted them. She also dismissed theories that Ms Bulley's phone was a "decoy" as well as addressed questions around gaps in CCTV coverage of the area where she vanished.
Police also confirmed that it was still a "possibility" that Nicola left the area by a path not covered by cameras after falling in the river. Officers are also attempting to trace dashcam footage from 700 drivers who passed along the road at the time she disappeared (9.20am).
Mr Faulding previously remarked that if his team is unable to find Ms Bulley with their sonar equipment, then it is unlikely she was in the river. He also stated that it is unlikely her body had been swept out to sea.
However, Ms Riley told reporters at a press conference in the village that Mr Faulding is not clued in "all the investigation detail". Lancashire Police has insisted that there is nothing to suggest a criminal element in the case, but that they are investigating all lines of inquiry.
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