Nicola Bulley's partner has spoken of his "agony" after a body was found by police during the search for the missing 45-year-old. The grim discovery was made roughly a mile from where the mum-of-two was last seen walking her dog in St Michael's on Wyre
Formal identification is yet to be carried out but Nicola's family have been informed. Sky News reporter Inzamam Rashid said that Paul Ansell had been in contact via text.
The Mirror reports that he wrote in a message: "No words right now, just agony." Mr Rashid said the family are "incredibly heartbroken" and will "really be struggling tonight".
A police spokesman said officers were called to reports of a body in the river at around 11.35am on Sunday, near Rawcliffe Road. A statement said: "An underwater search team and specialist officers have subsequently attended the scene, entered the water and have sadly recovered a body.
"Procedures to identify the body are ongoing. We are currently treating the death as unexplained. Nicola's family have been informed of developments and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult of times. We ask that their privacy is respected."
A man and woman walking their dog discovered the body and called police, it is understood. Witnesses at the scene said the area was cordoned off quickly and a "huge search" under way. The investigation into Ms Bulley's disappearance has attracted huge speculation, along with scrutiny.
The police were criticised after making Ms Bulley's struggles with alcohol and the menopause public three weeks after she disappeared.
They later added in a statement that Ms Bulley had stopped taking her HRT medication. Lancashire Police said in a statement: "A review of the investigation is diarised and will be conducted by our head of crime detective Chief Superintendent Pauline Stables."
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