Nicola Bulley latest: Fitbit, stained glove and red van rumours addressed by police

Police have addressed a number of theories and unanswered questions amid the search for missing Nicola Bulley.

Bulley disappeared while walking her springer spaniel Willow in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, after she dropped her two daughters – aged six and nine – at school on 27 January.

Speculation about what might have happened to her has continued to grow in the 19 days since she vanished but detectives have so far maintained that her disappearance is not being treated as suspicious.

Lancashire Police held a press conference on Wednesday about the search as they sought to combat disinformation, following the arrests of a 49-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman on suspicion of malicious communications offences in relation to emails allegedly sent to Wyre Council members.

Here are some of the theories, rumours and questions police attempted to answer:

Nicola's Fitbit

Bulley exercised often and wore a Fitbit to track her steps and movements, which had been hoped to give police clues as to her whereabouts.

But during Wednesday‘s press conference, detective superintendent Rebecca Smith said the Fitbit gave no clues.

She said: ”Despite many technicians investigating the Fitbit, no further information can be gained from that as it hadn’t been synced for a number of days.”

Nicola's phone

Mystery has surrounded Bulley’s phone after it was found sitting on a bench by the river, still logged onto the Teams work call that she had joined at around 9am that morning

But, in an attempt to explain it, Supt Smith said she could say “with confidence” that Bulley had her phone out in front of her listening to the Teams call.

She said it was “normal” for Bulley to listen to calls this way, and that it explains why she did not have it in her pocket.

Supt Smith said “exhaustive” work was being done on the phone and social media accounts showing Bulley as active and that investigators were logging in to the accounts to carry out their work.

Watch: Handwritten messages on yellow ribbons left for missing mother Nicola Bulley

The derelict house

Supt Smith told of “persistent myths” about the case – including a derelict house across the river, which some have urged police to search.

She said on Wednesday: “The derelict house which is across the other side of the river has been searched three times, with the permission of the owner, and Nicola is not in there.”

Heather Gibbons, a friend of Bulley, previously dismissed the theory that the house was key to the investigation as it was "owned by a lovely family" who "would do anything they can to help in the search for Nikki".

Red van

Police have been making efforts to identify the owner of a red van that was spotted on the day of Bulley’s disappearance.

A witness told The Times that the “tatty” van had been spotted outside a barn close to where Bulley vanished and that they had informed police after news of her disappearance spread.

However, Lancashire Police played down the reports during the press conference, saying that while they were trying to track down the owner, it was not being treated as suspicious.

Supt Smith said: “The red van, we’re really grateful to members of the public for ringing into the inquiry, we wouldn’t have got this far without everyone’s help.

“But it’s also really obvious that we are being inundated with false information, accusations and rumours which is distracting us from our work.”

'Suspicious' fishermen

An anonymous witness told The Sun that he saw two men “trying to hide their faces” close to the route that Bulley walked her dog.

He said he saw the men wearing hats or hoodies and carrying fishing rods that covered their faces on the day before Bulley vanished, which he described as “odd”.

Responding to that report, Supt Smith said she “didn’t find it suspicious” that fishermen would be in the area.

She added that police had nevertheless “made numerous appeals” and contacted local angling clubs and checked CCTV but cannot see any of those fishermen at the time of Bulley’s disappearance.

Supt Smith added that police were still trying to trace the men ”to make sure there is no further information they can give”.

'Stained glove'

Officers have been handed a “stained glove” from a field close to where Bulley was last seen, according to The Telegraph.

The glove was found by two walkers, some seven miles away from the bench where Bulley’s mobile phone was found.

But Supt Smith said the glove was “not believed to be relevant” to their investigation.

CCTV at caravan site

Armchair sleuths had urged police to investigate a nearby caravan site, alleging that CCTV at the site had not been working.

However, Supt Smith said this was not the case and police had been “helped by caravan owners”.

Where are her car keys?

Bulley’s partner, Paul Ansell, has urged Mercedes to track her car keys, which are not in the ignition of her car.

The couple’s neighbour, Charlotte Drake, rejected claims the keys were in the car, telling Metro they were “definitely” on her at the time of her disappearance.

Heather Gibbons, a friend of the pair, told The Sun that “one of the first things” Ansell did was to contact Mercedes to see if they could track the whereabouts of the keys.

A search of the area was also conducted by local residents at Ansell’s urging, some using metal detectors to find the keys – which have so far not been found.

Rumours affecting family

Supt Smith also said the speculation and online rumours about what happened to Bulley were affecting the family and urged people to not continue with their theories.

She said the family were being regularly updated with the process.