Police believe missing dog walker Nicola Bulley fell into river – investigation focuses on 10-minute window

Police investigating the disappearance of a mother-of-two say they believe she “sadly” fell into a river as they focus on a 10-minute window when she went missing a week ago.

Nicola Bulley, 45, vanished in Lancashire while out walking her dog last Friday morning after dropping off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school.

The mortgage adviser was last seen at about 9.10am on a path by the River Wyre in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre.

The 10-minute window that officers are focusing on is from 9.10am to 9.20am as they cannot account for her movements during that time.

Police believe she did not leave the riverside area – after they viewed dashcam, CCTV, and doorbell footage – and say their “main working hypothesis” is that she “suddenly” fell into the water.

Latest updates from police news conference

Her phone was found on a bench still connected to a work Teams call which ended at 9.30am. The lead and harness for her springer spaniel, called Willow, was also on the bench, while the dog was running loose.

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Officers believe “there’s no third-party or criminal involvement” and that it was “a tragic case of a missing person”.

There has been an extensive search of the area, along the River Wyre and 15km (nine miles) to the sea.

Police look for Nicola Bulley’s clothing as part of search

Speaking at a news conference, Superintendent Sally Riley gave an update on what Ms Bulley was wearing when she disappeared, including an ankle-length black quilted gilet jacket, and a black Engelbert Strauss waist-length coat, which was worn underneath.

She said officers were trying to trace her clothing and accessories and urged people to look out for the items.

Along with the coat and gilet, Ms Riley said Ms Bulley was also wearing tight-fitting black jeans, long green walking socks tucked into her jeans, ankle-length green Next wellies, a necklace and a pale blue Fitbit.

She said: “It’s really important that the public pay heed to those very specific clothing descriptions please, because factual sightings of those items would be very useful to us.”

Ms Riley also said there may have been an “issue with the dog that led her to the water’s edge, she puts her phone down to go and deal with the dog momentarily, and Nicola may have fallen in”.

“The dog was dry” and Ms Bulley can swim, the senior officer added.

The search is continuing, with Ms Bulley’s friends retracing her route earlier on Friday.

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Her partner, Paul Ansell, has said he will “never lose hope”.

He also said he kept playing “every scenario” in his head “around and around” and that his focus was on supporting their two young daughters.

Mr Ansell said: “I don’t know how I am coping. I don’t want to think about that. I am just focused on the girls.”

He went on: “We’re never, ever going to lose hope, of course we’re not, but it is as though she has vanished into thin air.”

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