‘Agony’ for Nicola Bulley’s family as they await identification of body found in search for missing mum

Steve Hopkins

Police are now working to formally identify the body

The family of Nicola Bulley are reportedly in “agony” as they await the identification of a body found in the Lancashire river near where she went missing several weeks ago.

Lancashire Police on Sunday confirmed they had recovered a body around a mile from where the mum-of-two went missing, after being called to the River Wyre, near Rawcliffe Road, at 11:35am Sunday. It is understood that a man and a woman walking their dog near the river called the force to report seeing a person in the water.

Nicola, 45, was last seen walking her dog along the river at 9.10am on January 27, having earlier dropped her two daughters at school.

Late on Sunday, Nicola’s partner Paul Ansell told Sky News: “No words right now, just agony.

“We’re all together, we have to be strong.”

Lancashire Police said the body is yet to be formally identified and it is “unable to say whether this is Nicola Bulley at this time”.

“Procedures to identify the body are ongoing,” the force said.

“We are currently treating the death as unexplained.

“Nicola’s family have been informed of developments and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult of times.”

BREAKING: Police searching for missing mum of two Nicola Bulley have recovered a body from the river near to where she went missing.

Police said no formal identification has been carried out yethttps://t.co/AwXxjapLen

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— Sky News (@SkyNews) February 19, 2023

The discovery on Sunday comes after roads were closed off near the scene where she went missing.

Divers were examining the scene less than a mile from where the mortgage broker was last spotted.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith was also at the riverside.

A man and a woman were earlier seen pointing to a spot in the River Wyre, while police drones and a helicopter could also be seen overhead.

A photographer at the scene said: “It all happened so fast. Police have sealed all the roads off. It’s fair to say a massive search is underway.”

Divers are searching the river and a police helicopter has been circling the area close to where Nicola Bulley went missing more than three weeks ago.

Sky's @InzyRashid has the latest from St Michael's on Wyrehttps://t.co/AwXxjapLen

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— Sky News (@SkyNews) February 19, 2023

Lancashire Police’s “main working hypothesis” has remained that she accidentally fell into the river, despite no evidence to suggest she had.

At a press conference on Wednesday, detective superintendent Smith criticised the press and public for “misconstruing” her statement that her “main hypothesis” was that Nicola had fallen in the river.

At the same press conference, Lancashire Police said social media sleuths and “TikTokers playing private detectives” near the scene had distracted search efforts.

Smith said investigating officers have been “inundated with false information, accusations and rumours” relating to the case.

The force also chose to reveal that Nicola was deemed “high risk” due to “vulnerabilities” she had. Whilst they declined to give more information about this at the time out of respect for the privacy of the family, it was later revealed that she had alcohol issues as a result of struggles with the menopause.

Lancashire Police has since been roundly criticised for the decision to reveal this private information, with many wondering what point this served in regards to the case and accusing the police of trying to shift the focus away from them.

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