More than a fortnight on from Nicola Bulley’s disappearance, police have been looking at hundreds of pieces of “active information” as the search enters its third week.
The mother-of-two was last seen walking her dog on a footpath by the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on the morning of Friday 27 January.
Police have focused their investigation on a crucial 10-minute window when her movements are unaccounted for – from 9.10am to 9.20am.
Officers say they have been keeping an open mind but have been working on a theory that she fell into the River Wyre.
However, her partner Paul Ansell doubts the wisdom of focusing on the river search and said: “Personally, I am 100% convinced it’s not the river, that’s my opinion.”
Police and an independent underwater rescue team have been unable to locate the mortgage adviser as her family have been experiencing “unprecedented hell” while they wait for answers.
Here, Sky News looks at the last known movements of Ms Bulley on the morning she disappeared.
8.43am – Ms Bulley walked along the path by the River Wyre, having dropped her children off at school.
8.47am – A dog-walker – somebody 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 – Ms Bulley logged into a work conference call on Microsoft Teams.
9.10am – A witness – someone who knows Ms Bulley – saw her on the upper field walking her dog, Willow. The dog was not in its harness and off its lead. This is the last confirmed sighting of Ms Bulley.
9.20am – Police believe Nicola’s phone was left on a bench by the river.
9.30am – The conference call ended but Ms Bulley stayed logged on.
9.33am – Ms Bulley’s mobile phone was found on the bench by another dog walker. Her dog was found running between the bench and a gate to the field. The dog’s harness was found on the grass between the bench and the river’s edge.
This witness then made inquiries as to who owned the phone and spoke with people who recognised the dog as Ms Bulley’s.
10.50am – Ms Bulley’s family and the school her children attend were alerted about the situation.
River ‘very dangerous’ this time of year
Search teams have examined the river all the way to the sea, which is 9.3 miles (15km) away, after Lancashire Constabulary said they believe Ms Bulley fell in.
The river, which winds through the countryside on the edge of St Michael’s on Wyre, has been described as “notoriously dangerous” at this time of year by a representative of St Michael’s Angling Association.
“The combination of the depth and how cold it is at this time of year makes it very dangerous,” the representative told The Times.
A sign on a tree near the bench where Ms Bulley’s phone was found reads: “Danger, deep water.”
The bench where Nicola Bulley’s phone was found, on the banks of the River Wyre
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Police search for Nicola Bulley off coast
Big rocks can be seen jutting out of the river, which appears calm at the sharp drop below the bench where Ms Bulley’s phone was found.
Superintendent Sally Riley told reporters after Ms Bulley went missing: “At the point where the bench is located, there is quite a steep drop to the river, albeit not high. It is steep.
“Therefore, while I don’t want to speculate as to what may have happened, it is our working hypothesis that she has entered the water accidentally.”
Police have been searching wider parts of the river for Ms Bulley
Boats have been involved in the search
She continued: “The dog was off the lead, this was normal for the dog to run about and Nicola was on a Teams call, which again it would be normal for her not to participate in actively and just have the phone to listen in, effectively.
“Anything could have happened with the dog whereby Nicola may have gone – and I don’t wish to speculate, we don’t know – but it is possible the dog was loose and off the lead that there may have been an issue with the dog that led her to go near to the water’s edge.
“She puts the phone down momentarily and Nicola may have fallen in. That is a possibility,” Supt Riley added.
She confirmed Ms Bulley can swim, but said searchers have been both wading in the River Wyre and diving beneath the surface due to the different water depths, though no conclusive evidence has been recovered as of yet.
