Police are still on the search for a missing mum-of-two who disappeared while taking her dog for a walk in St Michael's, Lancashire.
Nicola Bulley, 45, disappeared a week ago while walking her pet springer spaniel Willow next to the River Wyre. The mum-of-two's phone was recovered near a bench close to the river, however, there was no sign of Nicola.
It is understood that Nicola walked along the path by the River Wyre at 8.43am shortly after dropping her children off at school, according to Lancashire Constabulary. Around this time she was also spotted by a fellow dog walker who interacted with Ms Bulley.
Just after 9am, Nicola logged into a Teams call while an acquaintance spotted her roughly 10 minutes later. However, by 9.30am the Teams call ended with Nicola staying logged in.
Roughly five minutes after this, her mobile phone and pet dog were found by another dog walker. Police have today (Friday) said they believe she fell into the river and that there is 'nothing to suggest' foul play.
Supt Sally Riley said: “It’s now a week since Nicola went missing and her disappearance has understandably caused a huge amount of concern and upset in the local community, as well as being an absolutely awful time for her family. As a mum I can’t begin to imagine the suffering they are going through. We are supporting them as best we can and keeping them updated on our efforts to try and find Nicola.
“We have done a huge amount of work both in terms of searches of the area as well as extensive enquiries which have been going on behind the scenes and based on that work we are as sure as we can be that Nicola has not left the area where she was last seen and that very sadly for some reason she has fallen into the water.
“There is absolutely nothing to suggest from all the extensive enquiries we have made that anything untoward has happened to her or that there is any third-party involvement in her disappearance. This remains a missing person enquiry and we will continue to carry out searches and to do everything we can to find Nicola and provide her family and the community with the answers they desperately need.
“Officers will be in and around the village and anyone with information or concerns should feel free to approach us.”
Nicola Bulley's last known movements
The force said her movements were as follows:
- 8.43am: Ms Bulley walked along the path by the River Wyre, having dropped her children off at school.
- Around 8.50am: A dogwalker who knows Ms Bulley saw her walking around the lower field with her dog. Their two dogs interacted briefly before the witness left the field via the river path.
- 8.53am: Ms Bulley sent an email to her boss.
- 9.01am: She logged into a Teams call.
- Around 9.10am: Somebody who knows Ms Bulley saw her on the upper field walking her dog, Willow. Lancashire Police say they are trying to establish exactly what time this was.
- 9.30am: The Teams call ended but Ms Bulley stayed logged on.
- Around 9.35am: Her mobile phone and dog were found at a bench by the river by another dogwalker.
Nicola has been described as white, 5ft 3ins tall, with light brown shoulder-length hair and speaks with an Essex accent. She was last seen wearing a long, ankle-length black quilted gilet.
She had a black Vector coat underneath which had long sleeves and came to her waist and was wearing tight black jeans and long green walking socks tucked into her jeans - she was wearing ankle-length green wellington boots from Next.
Anybody who has seen Nicola, or has information about where she might be, is asked to call 101, quoting log 565 of January 30th. For immediate sightings please call 999.
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