A former detective claims police investigating the disappearance of Nicola Bulley made an error by not sending the bench to be checked for bloodstains.
Mortgage adviser and mum Nicola, 45, disappeared on January 27 while walking her brown spaniel Willow along the River Wyre in the tight-knit village of St Michaels on Wyre in Lancashire.
Police launched a massive search and have been seen combing the river bank, utilising diving teams, search dogs , drones and boats, to no avail.
Now ex-cop Martin Underhill says officers have made a massive error by failing to send the bench her phone was found on to a lab.
Martin, who was Detective Chief Inspector at Sussex Police and crime commissioner for Dorset told the Times: “That bench on that river in my view should have gone to a forensic laboratory.
"If Nicola had been attacked there could be blood spatterings on it.
"Sadly it’s still in situ. It is questionable to put it bluntly."
The mortgage adviser, 45, has been missing since January 27 and was last seen walking her brown spaniel Willow near the River Wyre in St Michaels on the Wyre, Lancashire.
Search teams have been scouring the River Wyre down to Morecambe Bay as part of the investigation.
It comes as a wild swimmer who has swam in the same river near where Nicola Bulley was last seen says "it's hard to get out of".
Mark Astin, a photographer and swimmer, also doubts Nicola fell into the River Wyre when she went missing on January 27.
Mr Astin has shared a video on YouTube showing him swimming in the river in June 2021 and in some parts the water is waist-deep.
He told Express.co.uk: “When we went last, the water was so calm. In the middle of the summer, it was a really quite warm day, the water temp was quite warm, and it was shallow. Some parts of the way will be a bit more tricky to get in and out.
“It’s a really quiet place to go open water swimming, a lovely place to visit in the summertime as you can see from the photos I took.
"I don't know what happened to Nicola, but I don't think she fell into the river. I hope they find her soon. It's a shame what's happened there.”
Yesterday, cops were seen searching at Wyreside Farm Caravan Park and last week they were seen scouring the River Wyre down to Morecambe Bay.
