A body has been discovered in the search for missing mother Nicola Bulley this afternoon. Police confirmed they have uncovered a body from the River Wyre on Sunday, February 19, following a tip off from members of the public.
Authorities quickly cordoned off an area near where the mother was originally reported missing on January 27. Formal identification has yet to take place, but the 45-year-old's family have been informed.
Nicola was last spotted 23 days ago, walking her dog Willow in the village of St Michaels on Wyre in Lancashire. Below is a timeline of key points from the case, leading to the discovery this Sunday afternoon.
January 27, 9.10am - Nicola Bulley is reported missing on while walking her dog in St Micheal's by the river Wyre.
9.30am - A walker finds Nicola's phone located on a bench on the same day before she is reported missing.
January 27 - Nicola's springer spaniel Willow is found running back and between a gate a nearby bridge, he harness and leash scattered near the bench where her phone was located.
January 28 - Lancashire Constabulary deploy drones, helicopters and police search dogs as part of the major missing person operation.
January 30 - Superintendent Sally Riley from Lancashire Constabulary said they were not treating Nicola's disappearance as suspicious, as police were "keeping a really open mind about what could have happened".
January 31 -Nicola's family release a statement saying they had been "overwhelmed by the support" in their community, and that her daughters were "desperate to have their mummy back home safe".
February 2 - Officers from the North West Police Underwater and Marine support unit search the area close to where Ms Bulley's mobile phone was found, while police divers scoured the River Wyre.
February 3 - Lancashire Police say it's considering the theory that Nicola may have fallen into the River Wyre, citing that a "possible issue" with her dog may have brought her to the river's edge.
February 9 - Nicola's partner Paul Ansel makes a statement during a Channel 5 TV show about her disappearance where he pleaded for her to "just come home".
February 10 - Diving teams search waters under the Shard bridge, seven miles from where she went missing.
February 15 - Lancashire reveal in a press conference that Nicola had been dealing with "alcohol" issues as well as processing going through menopause. Authorities were criticised for sharing the private information, prompting a police call-out to her home on January 10, which resulted in no further action.
February 16 - Police announce an internal investigation to an official watchdog over the contact they had with the missing victim two weeks before her disappearance.
February 19 - Lancashire police seal off all roads close to the less than a mile from where Nicola vanished in St Micheals on Wyre. Authorities launch a search following a tip-off from two walkers who spotted something suspicious floating on the river.
Police then issue a statement announcing they have recovered a body in the River Wyre.
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