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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Alahna Kindred

Nicola Bulley expert diver 'baffled' over single detail about body discovery

An expert diver involved with the search for missing mum Nicola Bulley says he is "baffled" by the location of where her body was found.

Yesterday, Lancashire Police confirmed a body found in the river in St Michael's near where Nicola went missing on January 27 belonged to the mortgage adviser.

Forensic dive expert Peter Faulding had previously said that Nicola was not in the River Wyre after he searched for her there.

He said: "If Nicola was in that river, I would have found her. She’s not there."

Mr Faulding was drafted in 10 days after the mortgage adviser's disappearance and spent three days searching the River Wyre.

Peter Faulding CEO of company Specialist Group International (PA)

It comes as Mr Faulding had previously denied that he gave the family false hope.

Mr Faulding, CEO of Search Group International (SGI), told Express.co.uk: "This is a baffling case. The most baffling aspect is at the bottom of the bank there was only two feet of water on the day Nicola went missing.

"She would have landed on rocks if she had slipped in. The current was not heavy enough to take her over the weir. A lot of people agree on that."

Specialist Group International led by Mr Faulding searching the River Wyre (Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

He also said that searching tidal rivers are difficult and that what happened to Nicola "is still a mystery".

Mr Faulding also called for the "speculation" around what happened to Nicola to stop so the family "can be left to grieve".

His comments come after speaking to various outlets yesterday saying he refused to be the "fall guy" in what happened.

Yesterday, Nicola's family's worst fears were confirmed.

The area on the River Wyre, in Lancashire, where a body was recovered (Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

A massive search was launched on land, and air and went out nearly 14 miles to sea.

Divers using high-tech equipment were seen trawling the river as specialist officers combed the riverbanks and conducted house-to-house searches.

Nicola's family said they were devastated at the news as they said in a statement last night: "We will never be able to comprehend what Nikki had gone through in her last moments and that will never leave us.

"We will never forget Nikki, how could we, she was the centre of our world, she was the one who made our lives so special and nothing will cast a shadow over that.

"Our girls will get the support they need from the people who love them the most."

Nicola's case sparked national interest from the media and individuals alike - leading to the family slamming the harmful speculation that spread like wildfire.

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