Nicola Bulley’s partner sent tragic three-word text on day of disappearance

Nicola Bulley’s partner revealed he sent the mum-of-two a tragic text the day she went missing.

The mum-of-two, 45, was last seen in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on January 27 before she disappeared, prompting a high-profile search by police.

The inquest into her death opened yesterday (Monday, June 26) with a Home Office pathologist confirming the mortgage advisor had drowned in the water of the River Wyre, where her body was found three weeks after she first vanished.

READ MORE: Nicola Bulley’s cause of death confirmed – it could’ve been over in seconds

On the day she vanished, Ms Bulley was expected to return home at her usual time, around 10am, in preparation for an 11am meeting that morning, her partner Paul Ansell said as he gave evidence today (Tuesday, June 27).

He said in his witness statement: “When it got to 10.30am I started to feel a bit concerned.”

Mr Ansell said he sent Ms Bulley a text when she failed to return home, asking: “are you lost?”

Mr Ansell also said his partner had been “full of beans” in the days prior to her disappearance.

“Nikki was a quiet person who enjoyed the simple side of life,” he said.

“She was a very private person and kept herself to herself.

“The blip over the Christmas period happened but in January she was back to herself, looking forward to the future and everything was on the up.

“She had a good day the day before [she went missing], came home full of beans, excited with work, with the meetings she had and plans for the year.

“She was grateful for every day, she was an amazing mum and partner and this gave her huge security. She focused on the important things and did the right thing by everyone. She was well-respected by all who knew her.

“Everybody loved her.”

Ms Bulley had dropped her two children, aged six and nine, at school the morning of her disappearance and was walking her dog, Willow, when she was last seen.

The canine and Ms Bulley’s phone were both found near the banks of the river, giving investigators a jumping-off point in their search.

Mr Ansell also revealed his theory that Ms Bulley may have been putting a harness on Willow before she fell into the river.

He explained: “She was still listening to that meeting, so I think she must have maybe put the phone on the bench and gone to put the harness back on Willow.”

Ms Bulley’s case also captured the attention of social media users who were slammed for acting as “TikTok detectives”, with some even travelling to Lancashire to investigate her disappearance themselves.

Officials said at the time the widespread interest in the case had caused roadblocks in their search for the mum.

Opening the inquest yesterday, senior coroner for Lancashire Dr James Adeley asked attendees not to disrupt proceedings following what he described as “unusual online commentary” surrounding Ms Bulley’s death.

Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour said an internal examination of Ms Bulley had turned up “classic signs” of asphyxia, a condition that occurs when the body is deprived of oxygen, for example when a person drowns.

She also added there was no sign of trauma Ms Bulley’s neck or any other indications she had been assaulted.

Commenting on Ms Bulley’s build and the heavy outdoor clothing she was wearing on the day she went missing, Professor Michael Tipton, a world expert in drowning, said: “It would only take one or two breaths to cross the lethal dose for drowning.”

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