A missing mum was seen "laughing and joking" moments before she vanished while walking her dog, according to a concerned friend.
Nicola Bulley's pet springer spaniel Willow was found off her harness on a path along the River Wyre in St Michael's-on-Wyre last Friday morning - but she was nowhere to be seen. It is understood the 46-year-old's mobile phone was found on the ground next to a bench overlooking the water which is believed to be an 18ft underwater drop.
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Her friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she has spoken to a pair who may have been the last people to see Nicola before she went missing, the Mirror reports.
"They say she was laughing and joking with them as she went by," the friend said. They added that two other dog walkers later came across her phone and recognised the screensaver picture.
The friend added that they were unable to unlock the phone and contacted a friend who then called St Michael's-on-Wyre Church of England Primary School, where Nicola had dropped her two children earlier that morning. Meanwhile, Nicola's partner Paul Ansell was contacted.
He proceeded to rush to the scene from the family home three miles away in Inskip, before notifying the police, the friend said. They added: "As far as I’m aware, no one called the police until Paul arrived."
They went on to say that the dog walker spotted Nicola's canine pet as she came through a fate onto the towpath but became suspicious when she saw the harness and lead being dragged on the floor. The friend added: "The gent has looked on the floor and two feet from the bench there’s a phone.
"I think she’s either been faffing about at the edge of the river because the dog’s been smelling fishing bait and she’s slipped or she’s had a medical episode."
A large-scale police search was quickly launched and included 25 trained volunteers from Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue. In the afternoon, a second search was carried out, including 100 participants.
"Moving forward, between nine and three Monday to Friday the tennis courts at St Michael's are open and there are designated routes on maps printed," the friend continued. "You can pick one of them up, they’ve got a QR code so you can log in and log out. The only condition to any of that is you must be in a pair."
They added: "I know that river well, walked it many times, I know where I can stand and where I can’t stand. She knew the same thing. At the end of the day, all we want is her at home with her girls. If she could be at home with the girls, she would be at home with the girls, 100 percent, no doubt about it."
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