Police investigating the disappearance of missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley have said their “main working hypothesis” is that she fell into the River Wyre.
Officials, who believe she disappeared in a 10-minute window, said “this is not a suspicious case but a tragic case of a missing person”.
Superintendent Sally Riley told a press conference in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre – where Bulley disappeared on January 27 – that the last confirmed sighting of her was at 9.10am that day, when she was seen walking her dog.
At 9.20am police believe her phone was on a bench while she was connected to a Work Team meeting, which ended 10 minutes later. Superintendent Riley said: “We only have a 10-minute window that we can’t account for Nicola’s movements.”
Her partner, Paul Ansell, told broadcasters the family will “never lose hope”.
Here’s a timeline of Nicola Bulley’s event:
Friday 27 January
Bulley went missing while walking her dog. She was last seen at 9.10am on a towpath near the Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre.
Her mobile phone was found on a nearby bench. Police said he was still involved in a conference call when he was found.
Her dog Willow, a spring spaniel, was found loose between the river and the bench, about an hour after she went missing.
Police said Bulley dropped her two daughters off at school before taking Willow for a walk by the river.
Saturday and Sunday, January 28 and 29
Lancashire Police carried out searches over the weekend, with the force using a helicopter, drones and police dogs. There was support from fire crews, mountain rescue teams and underwater search teams.
Neighbors also organized search efforts throughout the Michael area, and Bulley’s partner said he spent all of Sunday looking for her.
Monday, January 30
Police said they are keeping an “open mind” about what happened but said they do not believe Bulley was attacked.
In a press conference, Superintendent Sally Riley said: “This is not a criminal investigation.
“People go missing but obviously as time goes on, we get more and more worried about Nicola.”
Ansell, an engineer who has been in a relationship with Bulley for 12 years, said: “It’s just perpetual hell. It’s just complete disbelief.
“It doesn’t feel real. All we have to do is find her. She has two little girls who want their mummy home. We have to get good news now.”
Tuesday and Wednesday, 31 January and 1 February
Police said Tuesday that a key witness had been located.
Police said earlier that the man, who was walking a small fluffy white dog on a lead, spoke to a woman in the area who found Bulley’s dog, before he walked towards Rowanwater.
On Wednesday, Kev Camplin, from Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue, said the grounds of a large derelict house were being searched along with a four-mile stretch of river and wooded area.
Meanwhile, Heather Gibbons, a friend of Bulley’s, told Sky News on Wednesday: “We know firsthand that if she could be at home with her girls, we strongly believe that’s where she would be. Her family is everything.”
Thursday, February 2
Bulley’s family urged people who may know something about the disappearance to come forward.
Her sister, Louise Cunningham, told Sky News: “There’s got to be someone out there who knows something and what we’re asking for is, no matter how big or small, if there’s anything you remember doesn’t look right, please get in touch. to the police. Get back in touch with my sister.”
Friday 3 February
Speaking to broadcasters near where she was last seen, Bulley’s partner Paul Ansell said: “Every case comes to a brick wall. Every single one of them. All we’re doing is sitting there going around and around and around every situation.”
He said he was focusing on taking care of their two daughters.
In a later press conference, police said the “main working hypothesis” is that she fell into the River Wyre while out walking her dog and that “there is no third party or criminal involvement and this is not suspicious , but it is a tragic situation. missing person”.
Superintendent Sally Riley said investigators had eliminated “any trace so far that Nicola left by the riverside”.