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11th Apr 2023

Nicola Bulley update after police divers return to river where she was found

Charlie Herbert

A cause of death has not yet been confirmed

Divers have returned to the river where Nicola Bulley’s body was found as the investigation into her cause of death continues.

In footage shared on YouTube by Maria Solarz, divers can be seen wading through the water next to the weir, close to where the 45-year-old’s phone and her dog Willow were found on the morning of January 27.

In the YouTube video, Maria said one of the divers climbed over the weir and had been “floating on his back” in the water. They were then filmed wading through the river at different depths.

More than three weeks after her disappearance, Lancashire Police recovered a body from the river on february 19, which was later confirmed to be that of Bulley.

Police divers wading through the River Wyre (YouTube/Maria Solarz)

However, a cause of death has not yet been confirmed and an investigation into her death still underway.

An inquest into her death is to be heard on Monday, June 26 at County Hall in Preston.

(YouTube/Maria Solarz)

Lancashire Police confirmed the divers returned to the River Wyre as part of this investigation.

“We can confirm this is us carrying out some work at the direction of HM Coroner,” a police spokesman told the Lancashire Post.

The coroner, Dr James Adeley, has asked Lancashire Police to conduct further investigative work to help establish how Ms Bulley came by her death.

(YouTube/Maria Solarz)

A spokesman for HM Coroner said: “The investigation will take time to complete to ensure that as complete a picture as possible of the facts concerning Ms Bulley’s death is presented at the inquest.

“This will assist the family in understanding what occurred.

“As part of this process, HM Senior Coroner has requested Lancashire Constabulary produce information gathered during the search for Ms Bulley so it can be considered as part of the investigation.”

Nicola’s disappearance earlier this year sparked a major search operation as police and underwater search teams scoured the area and river in search of her.

The case also prompted huge online speculation as people took to Twitter and TikTok to give their theories about what had happened to the mum.

The online speculation became so severe that police criticised online sleuths for their involvement in the case.

Lancashire Police themselves also came under fire after they decided to make Nicola’s status as a ‘high risk’ missing person public knowledge at a press conference.

Police said she had a “number of specific vulnerabilities” which they said they would not make public.

But Lancashire Police later revealed that Nicola had alcohol issues due to struggles with the menopause.

Related links:

Specialist who failed to find Nicola Bulley removed from NCA expert list

Pressure grows to launch probe into Lancashire Police for failing to find Nicola Bulley for 23 days