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Police investigating the disappearance of Nicola Bulley are wrong to say that the missing mother is in the River Wyre, a former senior Metropolitan Police officer has claimed.
Philip Flower, an ex-superintendent, said “neither the facts nor the evidence” support Lancashire Constabulary’s official theory.
Ms Bulley was last seen walking her dog in a field next to the river in St Michaels on Wyre on the morning of 27 January.
Her phone and spaniel were later recovered near a bench on the river. But writing in The Mail on Sunday, Mr Flower cast doubt on the police’s main line of inquiry.
“Ms Bulley was a good swimmer,” he said. “The water wasn’t fast flowing. There are no slip-marks on the riverbank.”
He added: “And there doesn’t appear to be anything that would indicate she could have hit her head and become unconscious”.
Lancashire Constabulary said it was continuing to search the river but the focus of the investigation had moved downstream to an area that becomes tidal near the coast.
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ICYMI: Missing Nicola Bulley’s partner says ‘something happened that day’ as family ‘in hell’
Paul Ansell tells ‘‘Vanished: Where is Nicola Bulley?’ the family will never give up the search in 75 minute special
Joe Middleton reports:
Nicola Bulley’s partner says ‘something happened that day’ as family ‘in hell’
Paul Ansell tells ‘‘Vanished: Where is Nicola Bulley?’ the family will never give up the search in 75 minute special
Matt Mathers12 February 2023 16:401676218819
5 things forensics expert claims don’t add up about dog walker’s disappearance
From the mobile phone on the bench to the calmness of her dog, this is what the divers ‘can’t get their head around’.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain reports:
5 things forensics expert claims don’t add up about missing dog walker disappearance
From the mobile phone on the bench to the calmness of her dog, this is what the divers ‘can’t get their head around’
Matt Mathers12 February 2023 16:201676217324
ICYMI: ‘Police say my missing uncle fell in the river – why aren’t they helping us like Nicola Bulley?’
The family of a missing man presumed to have fallen into a river has criticised the police’s handling of the case compared to the huge search for Nicola Bulley.
Will Mata and Adam Dutton report:
‘Police say missing uncle fell in river – why don’t they help like Nicola Bulley?’
Mark Bishop has not been seen since January 7 but his family is frustrated at the relative lack of attention his case has had
Matt Mathers12 February 2023 15:551676215495
ICYMI: Missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s final text before she disappeared revealed
Missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s final text before she “vanished into thin air” has been revealed.
The 45-year-old was last seen walking her dog by the river in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on Friday 27 January. She was still logged into a Microsoft Teams call which had ended at 9.30am when her phone was recovered.
Just half an hour earlier, the mother of two had texted a friend to book a playdate. She sent the message at 8.57am shortly before logging into the Teams call, locals at a village meeting were told.
Eleanor Royce reports:
Missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s final text before she disappeared revealed
The 45-year-old mother of two arranged a playdate with a friend just minutes before she disappeared
Matt Mathers12 February 2023 15:241676213419
‘Nothing to suggest’ tatty red van spotted on day of Nicola Bulley disappearance is suspicious
There is “nothing to suggest” the red van spotted on the day of Nicola Bulley’s disappearance is suspicious, Lancashire Police have said.
Police have confirmed that they are making efforts to identify the owner but there is no reason to suspect it is anything other than one of many hundreds of vehicles in the area that morning.
Martha McHardy reports:
‘Nothing to suggest’ red van spotted on day Bulley vanished is suspicious
Police have confirmed that they are making efforts to identify the owner of the van
Matt Mathers12 February 2023 14:501676211319
ICYMI: Witness ‘saw two suspicious men’ before Nicola Bulley’s disappearance
A witness has told police he saw two men acting suspiciously near the route that Nicola Bulley regularly walked her dog on the day before her disappearance, it has been claimed.
The witness, who did not wish to share his account publicly, said he spotted the pair outside the church in St Michael’s on Wyre and on a nearby bridge on 26 January.
A worker at a local garage said the witness gave information to police after officers asked for anyone who had been in the area around the time the mother-of-two was last seen to come forward, according to The Sun.
Liam James reports:
Witness ‘saw two suspicious men’ before Nicola Bulley’s disappearance
Police told men were hanging around local church and bridge over River Wyre, say reports
Matt Mathers12 February 2023 14:151676210174
Messages of hope tied to River Wyre bridge as Nicola Bulley search continues
People have tied yellow ribbons, adorned with messages of hope written on them, to a bridge over the River Wyre as the search for Nicola Bulley continues over two weeks after her disappearance.
The mortgage adviser, 45, vanished on 27 January while walking her dog near the river in St Michael’s on Wyre after dropping her daughters, aged six and nine, at school.
Police continue to work on a hypothesis that Ms Bulley fell into the river, but searches have not found anything.
Officers are now working on searching the river towards the sea at Morecambe Bay.
Holly Patrick reports:
Messages of hope tied to River Wyre bridge as Nicola Bulley search continues
People have tied yellow ribbons, adorned with messages of hope written on them, to a bridge over the River Wyre as the search for Nicola Bulley continues over two weeks after her disappearance. The mortgage adviser, 45, vanished on 27 January while walking her dog near the river in St Michael’s on Wyre after dropping her daughters, aged six and nine, at school. Police continue to work on a hypothesis that Ms Bulley fell into the river, but searches have not found anything. Officers are now working on searching the river towards the sea at Morecambe Bay. Sign up for our newsletters.
Matt Mathers12 February 2023 13:561676208019
ICYMI: The CCTV blind spots that could hold key to Nicola Bulley’s disappearance
A number of CCTV blindspots have been identified as the hunt for missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley continues.
Police launched a search operation along the riverbank that has now extended to the sea, and have been working on the hypothesis Ms Bulley fell into the river.
Multiple searches of an area near the bench, the suspected “entry point” of where Ms Bulley could have gone into the water, have been conducted by police divers and underwater search experts.
Joe Middleton reports:
The CCTV blind spots that could hold key to Nicola Bulley’s disappearance
Police admitted that there is still a ‘possibility’ Nicola Bulley left the area by a path not covered by CCTV
Matt Mathers12 February 2023 13:201676206819
The women still missing as police continue search for Nicola Bulley
As the search for Ms Bulley continues, we take a look at the cases of other women who remain missing.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain reports:
The women still missing as police continue search for Nicola Bulley
Strange disappearance of mother-of-two brings light to mysteries surrounding several other missing women
Matt Mathers12 February 2023 13:001676205619
Meet the armchair detectives determined to solve the Nicola Bulley case
Since the disappearance of the mother-of-two last month, budding Sherlocks have flooded online discussion boards to try to solve the case and point fingers – leading to police frustration. Ben Bryant speaks to them:
Meet the armchair detectives determined to solve the Nicola Bulley case
Since the disappearance of the mother-of-two last month, budding Sherlocks have flooded online discussion boards to try to solve the case and point fingers – leading to police frustration. Ben Bryant speaks to them
Matt Mathers12 February 2023 12:40
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