Nicola Bulley police break silence over 5 theories in search update for missing mum

Lancashire Police have broken their silence on several theories on Nicola Bulley in an update on the ongoing search and investigation.

Mortgage adviser and mum of two Nicola, 45, disappeared on January 27 while walking her brown spaniel Willow along the River Wyre in the tight-knit village of St Michaels on Wyre in Lancashire.

Police launched a massive search and have been seen combing the river bank, utilising diving teams, search dogs , drones, and boats, to no avail.

The force called today’s 11.30am press conference in a bid to combat disinformation about the mum of two’s disappearance amid growing speculation about what might have happened to her.

Today Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith has dismissed several theories put forward so far into the mum of two’s disappearance.

Follow the latest on the disappearance of Nicola Bulley on our live blog here

Speaking at Lancashire Police HQ, she said: “As soon as she was reported missing, following the information that was provided to the police by her partner Paul, and based on a number of specific vulnerabilities that we were made aware of, Nicola was graded as high-risk.

“That is normal in a missing person investigation with the information we were in possession of. As any senior investigating officer does, you form a number of hypotheses, that is scenarios which are possible from the information to hand.

“Those hypotheses included the one that she possibly could have gone into the river, that there could have been third-party involvement and lastly, that she could have left the area voluntarily.

“Those hypotheses have remained in place throughout, are reviewed regularly.

“At the initial stages based on the information I received, I made it clear that it was my working hypothesis at that time based with all the facts that the main hypothesis I was working on at that time was that Nicola had gone in the river.”

She added a nearby derelict house searched three times with permission of its owner and that a glove recovered is not believed to have belonged to Nicola.

She also dismissed a red van as not believed to be suspicious, as she told the media it was “obvious they’re being inundated with false information and rumours”.

She added they are attempting to find fishermen along the bank at the time and said it was not the case CCTV at a nearby site was not working, adding officers have been “helped and assisted” by caravan owners.

Assistant Chief Constable Peter Lawson added: “I would emphasise that it remains the case there is no evidence to indicate a criminal aspect or third party involvement in Nicola’s disappearance.

“However, the officers involved in the investigation are the same experienced specialists and many senior officers who are concerned with the investigation of the most serious and complex crimes.”

He revealed so far 40 detectives are involved in the case who have trawled through CCTV.

Officers have also faced criticism of the handling of the inquiry, now in its third week, as experts lined up to suggest what should have been done.

In an earlier tweet, Lancashire Police said: “Today we’re providing an update in our search for missing mum Nicola Bulley.

“We’ll be streaming a live press conference, from our Police HQ, on our Facebook page after 11.45am.”

This morning, officers were spotted at a river pumping station near to where she went missing.

It comes after police have reportedly widened their search to the day before Ms Bulley went missing.

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