Security staff patrolling the village where Nicola Bulley went missing fear that an invasion of "TikToker’s and Youtubers" could have serious consequences.
Since the 45-year-old mum's disappearance on January 27, an increasing number of vigilantes have swarmed to St Michael's-on-Wyre in Lancashire.
A local security firm offered to conduct daily and nightly patrols of the area to help reassure locals "that there's people out there looking after them".
Spencer Sutcliffe, who owns the company, said visitors were trespassing on private property and entering an old house that overlooks the River Wyre.
He has now urged people to avoid the area for their own safety, saying: "The amount of non-locals in the village is unbelievable.
"We were following several people on TikTok, watching where they were going, what they were doing.
"There were people down by the river at 10.30pm, it’s pitch black, you’re as slippy as anything – we’re already dealing with something where we believe a girl had gone in the river, we could end up with another one.
"So we’re just urging people not to come to the area, let the police do their job – they’re doing a very good job – let the media report it as it is and see what happens on the television, don’t come around to have a look because you’re just hindering everyone.”
Spencer said: “From local residents, its been really really positive, they’ve done nothing but praise us – you’ve been with us today, you’ve seen them come up to us and be happy about us.
"In the wider TikTok and social media community, you get a lot of trolls saying nasty things about you but at the end of the day, they’re not the people we’re bothered with, I’m bothered about the local people and that’s why we’re here doing it."
It comes as the search for Ms Bulley, 45, a mortgage adviser from Inskip, has entered the 18th day.
Lancashire Police are continuing to trawl the River Wyre towards the sea at Morecambe Bay, working on one hypothesis that Ms Bulley could have fallen in.
The search has been aided by specialists and divers from HM Coastguard, mountain rescue and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, with sniffer dogs, drones and police helicopters.
Yesterday, friends and family left yellow ribbons with handwritten messages on a bridge close to where she disappeared.
Ms Bulley vanished while walking her springer spaniel Willow, shortly after dropping her daughters, aged six and nine, at school.
Ribbons with messages including "We need you home Nicola", "praying for your safe return" and "I love you" have been tied to a footbridge over the River Wyre.
A large poster with a photograph of Ms Bulley has also been attached to the railings.
Ms Bulley's partner, Paul Ansell, said he wants to keep "all options open" about her disappearance, but his "gut instinct" tells him she is not in the river.
He described Ms Bulley as "fun", "loving", "the most loyal friend you could ever have" and an "exceptional mum" who "absolutely adores our girls".
