Nicola Bulley’s partner reveals moment he found out she was missing in school call
Missing mum Nicola Bulley’s partner has revealed the moment he was told she had vanished.
Nicola, 45 was last seen walking her dog Willow after dropping her daughters off at school in the small village of St Michaels on Wyre, Lancashire on January 27.
Her phone, which was found on a bench near the river Wyre still logged into a work call, has centred on the police investigation.
READ MORE: Nicola Bulley’s partner ‘100% knows she’s not in river’ and ‘wants every house searched’
The dad spoke to Channel 5’s Dan Walker during ‘Vanished: What happened to Nicola Bulley?’ tonight.
He revealed that on the day Nicola vanished, she hadn’t returned home at the normal time from dropping their children off at school and walking their dog Willow.
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But said that he wasn’t “particularly worried”, and assumed she must have gotten tied up chatting with another parent.
Mr Ansell said Nicola is usually back from the school run at between 9.45am and 10am, as reported by The Sun.
She was still out at 10.15am on January 27 but Paul said he assumed she had been caught chatting to a pal.
But once it hit 10.30am, and he still hadn’t heard from his partner, then he started to grow concerned.
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(Image: PA)
The dad recalled: “That’s when I thought you know, she’s quite, quite late now. More late than usual.
“I tried ringing her phone. And there was no answer. I tried ringing again on WhatsApp. And again, there was no answer. I tried the mobile again and no answer.
“Now I sort of started to get a bit panicky I think.”
Paul said it was then he started to get ready to head down to the path “to see if she’s alright”.
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(Image: twitter.com/mrdanwalker)
He recalled: “I was going to leave and then the phone rang. It was the school and it was the receptionist at school.
“She said ‘Mr Ansell, it’s a bit of a weird one. It’s a bit of a weird one. But we found Willow and Nikki’s phone on the bench, and the harness halfway down the embankment on the floor’.”
He continued: “I’m about to leave thinking I’m going to see her, you know pass her and find her. Then I get that call.”
Paul said that was the moment “panic” set in.
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(Image: PA)
The interview was broadcast as part of the live programme, which will also feature guests – Nicola Bulley’s friend Emma White; former police officer and investigative journalist, Mark Williams-Thomas; former Chief Superintendent in Britain’s Metropolitan Police, Parm Sandhu and forensic search specialist, Peter Faulding.
Search efforts continue as Lancaster Police say that while their “main working hypothesis” was that she fell in a river, they have “an open mind”.
However, they insist they are keeping an open mind.
Anyone with information which could assist our investigation should call Lancashire Police on 101 quoting log 0565 of January 30th. For immediate sightings please call 999.
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