A leading expert in crime and police procedures has explained there are two possible explanations police are currently considering as to why 45-year-old Nicola Bulley has gone missing. Nicola, a mortgage advisor, vanished after dropping off her six and nine-year-old daughters at school last Friday.
Her dog was found running loose and her phone was left on a bench, still connected to a work conference call.
Professor David Wilson, emeritus professor of criminology at Birmingham City University, told Express.co.uk that when people go missing, there are usually only a handful of common explanations.
Police have currently ruled out foul play in the case of Nicola Bulley, with no indication anyone else has been involved. They are also proceeding under the assumption that Nicola is alive, and are dealing with the vanishing as a missing persons case.
Prof Wilson said that leaves two possible explanations. He said there may have been 'an accident of some kind', and he added that sometimes 'a person voluntarily goes missing, they want to get away for a completely fresh start, a different life."
Lancashire Police say they do not believe any crime has been committed, and are treating the incident as a missing person inquiry - with no indication that Nicola has come to harm. They said people should not “speculate or spread false rumours” about the disappearance.
Professor Wilson explained that in the first days of the search, officers will have scoured Nicola's social media, searching Facebook, text messages and other digital platforms for clues as to her whereabouts and what happened. He said: "They will build up a picture of her, not just in terms of what is known about her in public, but things which might not be known, things she was keeping to herself.
"The key thing is we leave a digital footprint, not just in terms of mobile phone usage. We also have to withdraw money or use a credit card to buy things. They will look to see if money was withdrawn from her bank account. Would that have been bigger than expected, to go through in a day or couple of days?"
Professor Wilson added: "There's a belief people don't just disappear into thin air. Sadly, we have had a lot of people who have disappeared into thin air. Let's hope that even after a week there might be some light at the end of this particular investigation."
The partner of Nicola Bulley has said he will “never lose hope”, one week on from her disappearance.
Paul Ansell said he “cannot get his head around” how the 45-year-old had vanished, and said his focus was on staying strong for their two daughters.
Ms Bulley was last seen walking her dog near the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, last Friday morning.
Police search teams on the banks of the River Wyre (Peter Byrne/PA)
Speaking near the scene where Ms Bulley was last seen, Mr Ansell told broadcasters: “Every single scenario comes to a brick wall. Every single one of them.
“All we are doing is sitting there going round and round and round through each scenario.”
He added: “We’re never, ever going to lose hope, of course we’re not, but it is as though she has vanished into thin air. It’s just insane.”
Members of the local community help with the search for the mother-of-two (Danny Lawson/PA)
The 44-year-old said his “whole focus is my two girls” and that he was “hoping to goodness” that people would come forward with new information following an interview with Ms Bulley’s parents and sister on Thursday.
On Friday morning, members of the local community stood by the side of the road holding signs bearing Ms Bulley’s photo, urging people to contact police with information.
Mr Ansell said the support from the community had given the family “a great amount of comfort”.
Nicola Bulley’s last-known movements (PA Graphics)
Ms Bulley’s friend, Emma White, told the BBC: “Seven days on, such a tough milestone today for all the family and friends.
“We’re out in force today. We’ve had banners made, placards with her face, so the idea is that seven days on there might be someone that’s passing today that passed last Friday, that might be able to shed that glimmer of hope we need.”
She added: “They are the most close-knit family. Those poor girls asking questions, ‘where’s mummy, how is mummy’.”
A potential witness, a dog walker, who was traced following a police appeal on Thursday, said she had spoken to officers and “doesn’t know anything”.
Christine Bowman, 67, told the Daily Mirror: “It has made local women fearful. If they have husbands or partners, they have been taking the dogs out instead.”
Ms Bulley, 45, a mortgage adviser from Inskip, Lancashire, vanished while walking her dog after dropping off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school last Friday morning.
The bench where Nicola Bulley’s phone was found (Danny Lawson/PA)
She was last seen at 9.10am and she had logged on to a work Teams call, which ended at 9.30am with her still logged on.
Her mobile phone and the lead and harness for her dog, springer spaniel Willow, were found on a bench close to the River Wyre in the Lancashire countryside.
Lancashire Police have said they do not believe any crime has been committed and are treating the incident as a missing person inquiry.
