Police have admitted there is no evidence that missing mum of two Nicola Bulley fell into the river while walking her dog when she went missing last Friday. Extensive searches have been ongoing for more than a week after the mortgage advisor vanished as she walked her dog alongside the river, minutes after dropping her six and nine-year-old daughters at school.
Nicola's phone was found on a bench, still connected to a call, and her dog was found running free. This week police say they believe Nicola fell into the river, possibly while trying to get her dog's ball back.
But Nicola's family instantly rejected that idea. Speaking to The Sunday Times, Lancashire Police Superintendent Sally Riley said: "I think if it had been a sloping bank, a commonsense view would be that you would expect to find scuff marks.
"If it is sheer and you lose your footing, you might not have any marks left on the grass. All of that has been subjected to a detailed search."
But Supt Riley said it is 'highly unlikely' criminal activity took place in the 10 to 20 minutes that is currently unaccounted for. Police do not believe Nicola was taken or assaulted. Their working theory is still an accidental fall into the water.
Supt Riley said: 'This is a low-crime area. It's genuinely a safe, tight-knit area, people look out for each other. A third-party [being] involved that we haven't yet had sightings of, we haven't caught on CCTV or dash-cam or all the other things I've mentioned, is just not likely.'
Police are today speaking to a potential 'key witness' after she contacted officers when her picture was circulated on Saturday afternoon. And they are trawling through data from Nicola's Fitbit to see if that will provide any evidence.
A police spokesman has urged people not to speculate about Nicola's case. They said: “Our enquiries to find Nicola are extensive and will include speaking to as many members of the public as possible.
“The speculation and abuse on social media aimed at some people who are merely assisting our enquiry is totally unacceptable.
“We would urge people to remember that we are investigating the disappearance of Nicola, and the priority is Nicola and her family. We want to find her and provide answers to her family.”
(PA Graphics)
Police have been working to the theory that Ms Bulley fell in the river, but her family and friends have questioned that.
The force believes the 45-year-old mortgage adviser went missing in just “a 10-minute window” while she was walking her dog, Willow, close to the River Wyre, after dropping off her daughters – aged six and nine – at school.
Ms Bulley had logged in to a Microsoft Teams call at 9.01am, which ended at 9.30am with her phone still connected to the call.
She was seen by another dog walker at 9.10am – the last known sighting – and police traced telephony records of her mobile phone as it remained on a bench overlooking the river at 9.20am.
The device was found by a dog walker at around 9.35am, with Willow nearby.
Efforts to find Ms Bulley are ongoing (PA)
Search teams from Lancashire Constabulary have been trawling the river.
In a Facebook post, Ms Bulley’s sister, Louise Cunningham, urged people to “keep an open mind” as there is “no evidence whatsoever” that the dog walker fell in the river.
“Off the back of the latest Police media update, please can I add there is no evidence whatsoever that she has gone into the river, it’s just a theory,” she said.
“Everyone needs to keep an open mind as not all CCTV and leads have been investigated fully, the police confirmed the case is far from over.”
Ms Bulley’s friend, Emma White, also cast doubt on the police theory, telling Sky News it was based on “limited information”.
“When we are talking about a life we can’t base it on a hypothesis – surely we need this factual evidence,” she said.
“That’s what the family and all of us are holding on to – that we are sadly no further on than last Friday.
“We still have no evidence, and that’s why we’re out together in force.
“You don’t base life on a hypothesis.”
In an interview with The Sun, Ms White said that police were working to get data off Ms Bulley’s Fitbit watch.
“The Fitbit had not been synced since Tuesday,” she said.
“The police are trying other ways to try to get information from it.”
The police 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 deployed.
Detectives are also working behind the scenes to analyse CCTV and dashcam videos, and members of the public with footage which could be useful have been urged to come forward.
Anyone with information or footage has been asked to call 101, quoting log 565 of January 30.
