- By Adam Durbin & Sean Seddon
- BBC News
February 20, 2023 at 05:14 GMT
Updated 13 minutes ago
Image source, family handout
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Nicola Bulley was last seen strolling along the riverbank on January 27th
Nicola Bulley’s partner has spoken out about his family’s pain after a body was found in the river near where she disappeared three weeks ago.
Ms Bulley disappeared while walking her dog in St Michael on Wyre in Lancashire, sparking a major search.
On Sunday Lancashire Police said they had “sadly recovered a body” from the water after being called to the River Wyre.
In a statement Monday, the force said the body had not yet been officially identified and they “could not say if” the deceased was Ms Bulley at the time.
Procedures to identify the body are continuing and police are treating the death as “unexplained”.
At 17:30 GMT Lancashire Deputy Chief Constable Peter Lawson will give a briefing to the press.
the power Ms Bulley’s family had been “updated of the developments and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult time”.
In the statement to Sky, Mr Ansell added: “We are all together, we must be strong.”
Former Lancashire Police Superintendent Bob Eastwood defended the force’s investigations amid an “absolute onslaught” of criticism.
Asked how it was possible that a body could be found a mile from Ms Bulley’s last known location – despite an extensive river search – he told BBC Breakfast the river is tidal and flows fast.
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Her partner Paul Ansell visited the scene with investigators earlier this month
“The way the tide comes and goes… it’s possible the body flowed in and out and was eventually abandoned by the water,” he said.
“To jump in … and automatically assume the body was there all along is a step too far.”
He said Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith, the lead investigating officer on the case, was subjected to misogynistic abuse during a three-week search that drew national attention.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Eastwood also accused “so-called specialists” of intruding on Ms Bulley’s investigation and family.
He said they “feed into a lot of people’s obsession,” adding, “I hope your conscience is in high gear at the moment.”
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Police on Sunday recovered a body from a stretch of the River Wyre near where Nicola Bulley went missing
Ms Bulley, who worked as a mortgage adviser, was last seen walking her springer spaniel Willow after she dropped her two daughters, aged six and nine, at school on January 27.
Her dog was found shortly after on a bench on a steep river bank along with her phone, which was still connected to a work conference.
Police previously said they believe the 45-year-old went into the river and her disappearance was not suspicious.
The body was found about a mile from where it was last found in the small village of St Michael’s on Wyre. It is understood that two people walking their dogs by the river spotted the body and alerted the police.
The fact that the body – which has yet to be formally identified as Nicola Bulley – was found less than a mile from where she disappeared raises many questions. More specifically, why did it take three weeks?
People will now be wondering if the search was properly conducted, leading to a large focus on the way Lancashire Police conducted this investigation.
Since Ms Bulley went missing, police have said she has been in the river. They seemed very confident from the start, despite some family concerns about their sentencing.
How is it then, after all the extensive searches and the police saying she was there, was her body possibly that close? It is worth remembering that this river is not huge – it is partly a large stream.
This inquiry focuses on how police dealt with a woman’s disappearance – particularly the information they have shared about her with the public and their ability to deal with the sudden flood of headlights in Lancashire.
Peter Faulding, an independent search expert brought in by Ms Bulley’s family, previously expressed doubts about the police’s theory that she had gone to that part of the river.
In a statement released through his company Specialist Group International, Mr Faulding defended his involvement after the three-day search he conducted using sonar technology failed to find a body.
He said the reeds heading towards the riverbed where the discovery was said to have been made are “not part of our remit” as the equipment used by his team is not effective in the vegetation.
The search generated a lot of interest, with large numbers of people visiting and filming the area – as well as significant amounts of speculation and various unsubstantiated theories circulating on social media.
The combination of the sheer volume of people turning up in the small village and online speculation led police to issue eviction notices and warn against anti-social behavior.
An influencer was arrested and fined after posting that he had been in “people’s backyards” at night with torches, while two other people were also arrested after malicious messages about the case were sent to local councils.
Julie Mackay, a former Det Supt with Avon and Somerset Police, told BBC News “armchair detectives” driven by a “thirst for true crime” had made the process difficult for police and Ms Bulley’s family.
She acknowledged that some people had a “genuine desire to help,” but criticized those who were driven by “their own gratification, their own self-promotion, or even narcissistic approaches.”
In a sign of the close attention being given to the case, Lancashire Police’s investigations were also met with backlash after revealing Ms Bulley’s struggles with menopause and alcohol, which they said were causing “more to avoid speculation.
Ms Bulley’s family said they were aware police were releasing the details as “people are out there speculating and threatening to sell stories about her”.
Concerns about the police statement were raised by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt and Home Secretary Suella Braverman, prompting Lancashire Police to announce they would be conducting an internal review of their investigation.
Ms Braverman on Monday reiterated her concerns about the decision but said “it’s up to the police themselves” and that she would hold back a further verdict pending review.