Nicola Bulley – latest: Police tell vigilante searchers to stop ‘breaking into empty property’

Police working on the Nicola Bulley case have urged vigilantes to stop “breaking into empty property” to search for the missing dog walker.

In an update on the twelfth day since the dog walker’s disappearance, Lancashire Police superintendent Sally Riley said members of the public “taking the law into their own hands” were not helping, notably those burgling and trespassing in their attempts.

Supt Riley also urged people to stop speculating over what may have happened to Ms Bulley, warning they were frustrating the police investigation and distressing affected family members.

Despite opening 500 lines of inquiry and contacting 700 drivers who were in the area when Ms Bulley was last seen on 27 January, police said they had “so far not found anything of note”.

She was speaking after Peter Faulding, head of a private company employed to search the river, said if Ms Bulley were not found today he would suspect a “third party” was involved in her disappearance.

Supt Riley said officers still believe Ms Bulley fell into the river and Mr Faulding is not privy to all police knowledge.

Key Points

• Stop taking law into your own hands, police urge

• New images show Nicola Bulley leaving home on day she disappeared

• Friend shares ‘11 facts you may not know’ about Nicola Bulley’s disappearance

Police ‘not starting to go into houses'

09:03 , Andy Gregory

Police have said they “are not starting going into houses because that’s not where the inquiry is leading us”, as they warned people against criminal entry to riverside properties in the search for Nicola Bulley.

Superintendent Sally Riley told reporters on Tuesday: “There are some properties along the riverside which are empty or derelict.

“Whilst it may be well intentioned that people think that that could be a line of inquiry, I would ask them to desist from doing that. In some cases it may be criminal if they are breaking in and causing damage or committing a burglary.”

She said officers have searched derelict riverside properties with the permission of owners.

“Because there is no criminal element yet identified, and we don’t expect there to be in this inquiry, then we’re not starting to go into houses because that’s not where the inquiry is leading us,” she added.

Police looking into 500 active lines of enquiry

08:44 , Andy Gregory

Police have revealed they are looking into 500 lines of inquiry.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Lancashire Police Superintendent Sally Riley said: “At the moment there are around five hundred active pieces of information and lines of enquiry that we are working on to try and find answers for Nicola’s family.”

However, they also said the scale of efforts was “normal missing persons enquiry and does not indicate there is anything suspicious to this story”.

My colleague Liam James has more details:

Police reveale there are 500 lines of inquiry in search for Nicola Bulley

Map outlines missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s last known movements

07:45 , Shweta Sharma

Mother-of-two Nicola Bulley remains missing a week after she disappeared while out walking her springer spaniel Willow.

The 45-year-old mortgage adviser had just dropped off her daughters, aged six and nine, at primary school before setting out east along a towpath by the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on 27 January.

She was seen by at least one fellow dog walker moments prior to vanishing.

Last spotted at approximately 9.15am, Ms Bulley has been described by Lancashire Police as a 5 ft 3in white woman with light brown shoulder-length hair wearing a long black gilet jacket with a hood, black jeans and olive green ankle wellington boots.

Map outlines missing Nicola Bulley’s last known movements

Specialist search chief hits out at ‘heartless individuals’ questioning his motives

07:30 , Andy Gregory

The head of the specialist team helping with the search for Nicola Bulley has hit out at “heartless individuals” questioning his motives online, saying: “This is what you get for trying to help people.”

“I have no ulterior motive,” he told TalkTV at the scene. “I have given my time to many cases free of charge. We get paid to do police diving operations, okay, but I have offered my services for a whole week with April Jones. There was no media around that, I never gave any interviews for that and that’s it.

“The other one was Ellis Downes, the poor lad was left lying in the river. I came in, I found him and I done that totally free of charge for that family … I don’t need publicity, the press have come to me for this. If I don’t give information then I get slated, so I am damned if I do, I’m damned if I don’t.”

Nicola Bulley: Underwater search expert explains why he doesn’t believe missing dog walker is in river

07:00 , Shweta Sharma

An underwater search for missing Nicola Bulley is continuing following a fresh appeal by her partner, who said her two daughters “desperately” miss her and “need her back”.

The search for Ms Bulley, 45, is entering its 12th day after she went missing on January 27 in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.

In a statement released on Monday through Lancashire Police, her partner Paul Ansell said: “I have two little girls who miss their mummy desperately and who need her back.”

Underwater expert explains why he doesn’t think missing Nicola Bulley is in river

Police say search leader Faulding not included in all investigation detail

05:45 , Shweta Sharma

After a search leader said Nicola Bulley is not in the river, Lancashire Police Superintendent Sally Riley said Peter Faulding is not included in “all the investigation detail” about the missing dog walker.

It comes after the leader of underwater search experts SGI said he believes she has not been in the river and raised the prospect of “third party” involvement in her disappearance.

Ms Riley said: “Our search has not found Nicola in the river and then a re-search in parts by SGI has found the same. That does not mean... that Nicola has not been in the river.

“In the light of other inquiries being discounted from the investigation so far... clearly our main belief is that Nicola did fall into the river.

“Clearly Mr Faulding isn’t included within all the investigation detail any more than the members of the public are that I’m briefing through these sorts of press conferences.”

Police reject suggestions Nicola Bulley could have been a victim of crime

05:00 , Shweta Sharma

Police have rejected suggestions that missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley could have been a victim of crime.

Supt Sally Riley, of Lancashire Police, said “every single” potential suspicion or criminal suggestion that had come in, had been looked at by detectives and discounted.

She said, “I would like to reassure the community that nothing in this investigation so far, it has been checked out if it has come in suggesting crime, it has been checked and discounted.

“So every single potential third party line of inquiry and potential suspicious or criminal element has been looked at and discounted.

“It does remain our belief that Nicola sadly fell into the river and that this is a missing persons inquiry.”

Police reject suggestions Nicola Bulley could have been a victim of crime

Police reveal there are 500 lines of inquiry in search for missing Nicola Bulley

04:15 , Shweta Sharma

Police have urged members of the public not to share conspiracy theories about the disappearance of Nicola Bulley online as they revealed they were looking into 500 lines of inquiry.

At a press conference yesterday, Lancashire Police Superintendent Sally Riley said: “At the moment there are around five hundred active pieces of information and lines of enquiry that we are working on to try and find answers for Nicola’s family.”

However, they also said the scale of efforts was that of a “normal missing persons enquiry and does not indicate there is anything suspicious to this story”.But she urged people not to speculate on what happened as theories circulating online were hurtful to the family.

She said: “This is particularly hurtful to her family, to her children, to her partner Paul, her parents, her sister and her friends. It is not helpful to them it’s distressing and distracting for the police enquiry.”

Nicola Bulley: Search expert believes ‘third party involved’ if missing mother not in river

03:30 , Joe Middleton

Missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s final text before she disappeared revealed

02:30 , Joe Middleton

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.

Missing dog walker Nicola Bulley’s final text before she disappeared revealed

Speculation over Nicola Bulley disappearance 'hurtful' for family, police say

01:30 , Joe Middleton

What is the underwater technology being used in hunt for missing Nicola Bulley?

00:30 , Joe Middleton

A private diving team has joined the search to help find 45-year-old Nicola Bulley.

The mother of two was last seen walking her dog near the River Wyre in Lancashire on January 27. Police are working on the hypothesis that she fell into the river, though this claim has not been substantiated with any evidence and her family and friends have disputed it.

On Monday, a private team of divers led by forensic expert Peter Faulding were drafted in to widen the search for Ms Bulley.

What is the underwater technology being used in hunt for missing Nicola Bulley?

Nicola Bulley’s disappearance ‘is one of the most odd cases’, says head of private underwater search team

Tuesday 7 February 2023 23:30 , Joe Middleton

The disappearance of Nicola Bulley is one of the “most odd cases,” the head of a private underwater search team has said.

The mother-of-two, 45, has been missing since Friday, 27 January, when she went out to walk her dog near the River Wyre.

Lancashire Police have said they are working off a hypothesis that the mortgage adviser fell into the water.

Peter Faulding told Good Morning Britain that police divers searched the area where Ms Bulley’s phone was seen and nothing was found, which was “highly unusual.”

Nicola Bulley disappearance is ‘most odd case’, says head of private search team

Search for missing Nicola Bulley ‘extended out to the sea’, police confirms

Tuesday 7 February 2023 22:30 , Joe Middleton

Friend of Nicola Bulley baffled as search for missing woman continues

Tuesday 7 February 2023 21:30 , Joe Middleton

A family friend of missing woman Nicola Bulley said “nothing is making sense” as specialist underwater divers searched a stretch of river where police believe she may have fallen in.

Heather Gibbons spoke on the banks of the River Wyre while, below her, Peter Faulding and his team from Specialist Group International, used a sonar to scan the depths on day 12 of the search.

Family and friends of mother-of-two Ms Bulley, 45, have questioned the police “theory” that she probably fell into the water while walking her dog, after dropping her children off at school in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancs on January 27.

Friend of Nicola Bulley baffled as search for missing woman continues

Police reveal there are 500 lines of inquiry in search for missing Nicola Bulley

Tuesday 7 February 2023 20:30 , Joe Middleton

Police have urged members of the public not to share conspiracy theories about the disappearance of Nicola Bulley online as they revealed they were looking into 500 lines of inquiry.

The search for the missing mother-of-two entered its twelfth day on Tuesday and police continue to believe she may have fallen into the River Wyre while walking her dog on 27 January.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Lancashire Police Superintendent Sally Riley said: “At the moment there are around five hundred active pieces of information and lines of enquiry that we are working on to try and find answers for Nicola’s family.”

Police reveale there are 500 lines of inquiry in search for Nicola Bulley

Police reject suggestions Nicola Bulley could have been a victim of crime

Tuesday 7 February 2023 19:30 , Joe Middleton

Police have rejected suggestions that missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley could have been a victim of crime.

Supt Sally Riley, of Lancashire Police, said “every single” potential suspicion or criminal suggestion that had come in, had been looked at by detectives and discounted.

She said, “I would like to reassure the community that nothing in this investigation so far, it has been checked out if it has come in suggesting crime, it has been checked and discounted.”

Police reject suggestions Nicola Bulley could have been a victim of crime

Search for missing Nicola Bulley ‘extended out to the sea’, police confirms

Tuesday 7 February 2023 19:00 , Joe Middleton

Stop breaking into homes in search for missing Nicola Bulley, police tell vigilantes

Tuesday 7 February 2023 18:30 , Joe Middleton

Police have urged people to stop breaking into homes in the search for missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley.

Asked about amateur investigators breaking into properties near where Ms Bulley was last seen along the River Wyre on 27 January, Superintendent Sally Riley told a press conference that there are empty or derelict properties along the riverside and entering them without permission would be a criminal act.

She said: “There are some properties along the riverside which are empty or derelict and whilst it may be well-intentioned that people think that that could be a line of inquiry, I would ask them to desist from doing that.

“In some cases it may be criminal if they are breaking in, causing damage or committing a burglary”.

Martha McHardy reports.

Stop breaking into homes in search for missing Nicola Bulley, police tell vigilantes

Family friend of Nicola Bulley’s says ‘nothing is making sense’

Tuesday 7 February 2023 18:00 , PA

A family friend of missing woman Nicola Bulley said “nothing is making sense” as specialist underwater divers searched a stretch of river where police believe she may have fallen in.

Heather Gibbons spoke on the banks of the River Wyre while, below her, Peter Faulding and his team from Specialist Group International, used a sonar to scan the depths on day 12 of the search.

Ms Gibbons said speculation, rife on social media, about the disappearance, was “hard” for the family to take and a stream of visitors, members of the public arriving from far and wide, some bringing children and taking selfies, had made the area feel like a “tourist spot”.

She said: “I think it’s incredibly hard, but up to a certain level, we understand it’s human nature, it’s natural for everyone to have speculation, because the truth is in this, nothing is making sense.

“The turnout for the search has been amazing, it has been incredible.”

No evidence of criminality in Nicola Bulley case, say police

Tuesday 7 February 2023 17:30 , Liam James

Lancashire Police said they have found no evidence of criminality in the disappearance of Nicola Bulley and do not expect to find any as their investigation continues.

Asked about amateur investigators breaking into properties near where Ms Bulley was last seen, Superintendent Sally Riley told a press conference: “There are some properties along the riverside which are empty or derelict and whilst it may be well-intentioned that people think that that could be a line of inquiry, I would ask them to desist from doing that.

“In some cases it may be criminal if they are breaking in, causing damage or committing a burglary.

Supt Riley continued: “We have now searched houses matching that sort of profile on the riverbank, including their grounds.

“Because there is no criminal evidence yet identified and we don’t expect there to be in this inquiry, then we are not starting to go into houses because that is not where the inquiry is leading us.”

Diving expert who doubts police line ‘doesn’t know all the details'

Tuesday 7 February 2023 17:10 , Liam James

Lancashire Police Superintendent Sally Riley said Peter Faulding, leader of underwater search experts SGI, was not privy to “all the investigation detail” about missing Nicola Bulley.

Asked about Mr Faulding’s comments on how he disputes the police belief that Ms Bulley fell in the River Wyre, Supt Riley said: “Our search has not found Nicola in the river and then a re-search in parts by SGI has found the same. That does not mean... that Nicola has not been in the river.

“In the light of other inquiries being discounted from the investigation so far... clearly our main belief is that Nicola did fall into the river.

“Clearly Mr Faulding isn’t included within all the investigation detail any more than the members of the public are that I’m briefing through these sorts of press conferences.”

Watch: Police warn public over Nicola Bulley speculation

Tuesday 7 February 2023 16:50 , Liam James

Superintendent Sally Riley of Lancashire Constabulary today warned against speculation over the Nicola Bulley case.

Stop spreading conspiracy theories about Nicola Bulley, say police

Tuesday 7 February 2023 16:42 , Liam James

Police investigating the disappearance of Nicola Bulley have urged the public to avoid “distressing” speculation and conspiracies about what may have happened to her.

Lancashire Police superintendent Sally Riley said: “This is particularly hurtful to her family, to her children, to her partner Paul, to her parents, her sister and her friends because it is not helpful to them, it is distressing and it is distracting for the police inquiry.

She added: “We will not tolerate online abuse of anyone, including innocent witnesses, members of the family and friends, of local businesses, or of criminal damage or burglary. We will be taking a strong line on that, as you would expect.”

Officials have now warned several times against the spreading of unfounded claims and conspiracy theories online.

Still no leads in Nicola Bulley search, say police

Tuesday 7 February 2023 16:26 , Liam James

Lancashire Police said their inquiries into the disappearance of Nicola Bulley have “so far not found anything of note” despite opening 500 leads and contacting 700 drivers who were in the local area on the day of her disappearance.

Superintendent Sally Riley told a press conference: “Throughout this investigation ... we remain fully open to any information that is credible and factual to try and trace Nicola and bring answers for her family but it does remain our belief that Nicola sadly fell into the river and that this is a missing persons inquiry.

“Any information that comes in that indicates otherwise is being checked out all the time and negated as each inquiry comes up. We’re not closed in any way to any particular line of inquiry and we remain genuinely open to that.

“All these extensive inquiries however have so far not found anything of note.”

More than 700 drivers relevant in Nicola Bulley search

Tuesday 7 February 2023 16:12 , Liam James

Police investigating the disappearance of Nicola Bulley are speaking to more than 700 drivers who travelled through the town of St Michael’s on Wyre around the time she went missing.

At a press conference, Lancashire Police Supt Sally Riley said: “We have now identified around 700 vehicles that drove through the village on that morning on the 27th January at around 9.10am, 9.15am.

“We are in the process of speaking to all of those drivers to try and find out if they have any dashcam footage, what they saw on that day or anything else that may be of value to the police inquiry.”

Pointing to the 500 open lines of inquiry in the search, Ms Riley said: “This is normal in a missing person inquiry and does not indicate that there is any suspicious element to this story.

“The inquiry team remains fully open-minded to any information that may indicate where Nicola is or what happened to her.”

Stop taking law into your own hands, police urge

Tuesday 7 February 2023 16:04 , Liam James

Police working on the Nicola Bulley case have urged vigilantes to stop “breaking into empty property” to search for the missing mother-of-two.

A Lancashire Police spokesperson said people “taking the law into their own hands” were not helping, particularly those who have included burglary and trespass in their approach.

“They may mean well. They may want to help. But they can help by thinking back to if they were in the area and holding the family in their thoughts.

She added: “We will not tolerate online abuse of anyone, including witnesses.”

Tidal river makes search more difficult, say police

Tuesday 7 February 2023 15:55 , Liam James

The river which police believe Nicola Bulley fell into is tidal, making the search for the missing mother-of-two, Lancashire Constabulary said.

“The river is a complex area to search ... and is tidal in parts,” police said in an update.

She added: “As acknowledged by experts, this makes the search more difficult.”

Police say 500 active lines of inquiry open in Nicola Bulley case

Tuesday 7 February 2023 15:50 , Liam James

There are around 500 active pieces of information and lines of inquiry in the Nicola Bulley case, police said.

In an update, Lancashire Constabulary said members of the public had sent thousands of messages in relation to the dog walkers disappearance.

Police back in the river

Tuesday 7 February 2023 15:48 , Liam James

Police divers searching for Nicola Bulley have gone back into the River Wyre.

The search for Ms Bulley has so far seen police scour the river bed near where the phone of the missing dog walker was found.

Meanwhile, a private search team led by expert diver Peter Faulding scanned the river bed with sonar.

Police update on missing dog walker

Tuesday 7 February 2023 14:49 , Joe Middleton

Police are set to give an update on the search for mother-of-two Nicola Bulley this afternoon. We will bring you the latest updates as we get them.

Family friend of Nicola Bulley’s says ‘nothing is making sense'

Tuesday 7 February 2023 14:12 , Joe Middleton

A family friend of missing woman Nicola Bulley said “nothing is making sense” as specialist underwater divers searched a stretch of river where police believe she may have fallen in.

Heather Gibbons spoke on the banks of the River Wyre while, below her, Peter Faulding and his team from Specialist Group International, used a sonar to scan the depths on day 12 of the search.

Ms Gibbons said speculation, rife on social media, about the disappearance, was “hard” for the family to take and a stream of visitors, members of the public arriving from far and wide, some bringing children and taking selfies, had made the area feel like a “tourist spot”.

She said: “I think it’s incredibly hard, but up to a certain level, we understand it’s human nature, it’s natural for everyone to have speculation, because the truth is in this, nothing is making sense.

“The turnout for the search has been amazing, it has been incredible.

“But we have noticed it does feel like some people have come to maybe use it as more like a tourist spot, to do their own personal social media things which in some ways we see and understand but it is hard, there’s a lot of people around as it is, so yes, if you are here to join the search, we are really appreciative.

“The truth is if we look at it factually, no-one knows until we have some evidence.”

PA

Latest pictures show private search under way

Tuesday 7 February 2023 13:07 , Liam James

Photographs are landing showing a private company’s search for Nicola Bulley on the River Wyre.

Specialist Group International, led by expert diver Peter Faulding, are using sonar technology to scan the river for the missing mother-of-two.

Mr Faulding said that failure to find Ms Bulley today would suggest there was a “third party” involved in her disappearance.

Diver speaks to Nicola Bulley’s ‘distraught’ partner

Tuesday 7 February 2023 12:14 , Liam James

Peter Faulding, head of a diving team scanning the River Wyre for Nicola Bulley, said he spoke to Paul Ansell, Nicola’s partner and the dad of their two daughters, to update him on the search.

He said: “I had a half an hour conversation with Paul last night to update him and he’s distraught.

“There’s so much horrible things that have been going on, I feel so sorry for the man.”

Mr Faulding went on to criticise people abusing Mr Ansell online over Ms Bulley’s disappearance.

“He’s getting constant flack all the time and it’s not fair. The family just need to be left alone and everyone needs to let us do our job.”

Forensics expert says ‘third party’ could be involved in case of Nicola Bulley

Tuesday 7 February 2023 11:30 , Liam James

A forensic expert has warned that a ‘third party’ could be involved in the case of missing Nicola Bulley who disappeared in Lancashire 11 days ago (Martha McHardy writes).

The lead of a diving team searching for the dog walker said his instincts tell him if she is not found today in the river near where her phone was found, there was a “third party “ involved in her disappearance.

Peter Faulding, the chief executive of Specialist Group International (SGI) said he is “very surprised” that she has not been found in river searches.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast as his team set out to scan the River Wyre with sonar equipment, Faulding was asked what his “gut feeling” was after more than one week of searching has failed to find the mother-of-two.

Forensics expert says ‘third party’ could be involved in case of missing dog walker

‘Very surprising’ Nicola Bulley not found

Tuesday 7 February 2023 09:45 , Liam James

The chief executive of a specialist dive team assisting in the search for Nicola Bulley said he is “very surprised” that she has not been found in river searches.

Peter Faulding of Specialist Group International told Radio 4’s Today programme: “The initial area where Nicola went in, where the bench is, the police thoroughly searched that the same day, and did it again days later.

“From all my experience, I would expect a body when it goes down and drowns, to go straight down to the bottom, and remain there until the body starts to decompose and then it will start moving.”

He added that there is not enough of a current in the River Wyre, where police believe Ms Bulley may have fallen, for her to have been moved downstream on the day she went missing.

Mr Faulding said of continued search efforts “today we’re going to concentrate again upstream in the non-tidal section of the river, including past the bench again, just in case”.

Nicola Bulley’s disappearance ‘is one of the most odd cases’

Tuesday 7 February 2023 09:18 , Liam James

A diving expert leading the search for Nicola Bulley said her disappearance is one of the “most odd” cases he has seen in 25 years on the job.

Diving team will scan river bed with sonar

Tuesday 7 February 2023 09:00 , Liam James

Peter Faulding, lead of the underwater search for Nicola Bulley, explained to ITV how his team will use sonar equipment to scan the bed of the River Wyre for the missing mother-of-two.

Search lead fears ‘third party’ involved if Nicola Bulley not found today

Tuesday 7 February 2023 08:34 , Liam James

The lead of a diving team searching for Nicola Bulley said his instincts tell him if she is not found today in the river near where her phone was found, there was a “third party” involved in her disappearance.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast as his team set out to scan the River Wyre with sonar equipment, Peter Faulding was asked what his “gut feeling” was after more than one week of searching has failed to find the mother-of-two.

“If Nicola is not in that stretch of river today my view is that there could be a third party and that [the phone] was a decoy placed by the river,” he said.

Underwater search expert explains why he doesn’t believe missing dog walker is in river

Tuesday 7 February 2023 08:10 , Thomas Kingsley

An underwater search for missing Nicola Bulley is continuing following a fresh appeal by her partner, who said her two daughters “desperately” miss her and “need her back”.

Ahead of the Specialist Group International (SGI) beginning its second day of searching the River Wyre on Tuesday, Peter Faulding said he did not think the missing mother was in the water.

Speaking with TalkTV, Mr Faulding – a leading forensic search expert and SIG’s founder – said: “I personally don’t think she’s in the river, that’s just my gut instinct at this point.”

He added that his team of divers would go back up the river on Tuesday, to search once again near the point where Ms Bulley’s mobile phone was found on a bench.

Read the full story below:

Underwater expert explains why he doesn’t think missing Nicola Bulley is in river

Diving team search near bench missing dog walker’s phone was found

Tuesday 7 February 2023 07:42 , Thomas Kingsley

A specialist diving team has begun searching a part of the River Wyre near the bench Nicola Bulley’s phone was found on.

Specialist Group International (SGI) founder and CEO Peter Faulding said his search crew will be focusing the operation “upstream in the non-tidal section above the weir” after the first day of the operation on Monday.

He said in an update tweet: “Today, my team and I will focus our search upstream in the non tidal section above the weir, and about one mile upstream including past the bench where Nicola’s phone was found.”