Police have have found Nicola Bulley's body 23 days after her disappearance.
The mum-of-two, 45, vanished in St Michael's on Wyre while walking her dog after dropping her daughters, aged six and nine, at school on January 27. Lancashire Police sadly recovered the mortgage adviser's body in the river on Sunday morning.
As reported by the Mirror, the discovery was made less than a mile downstream from where she was last seen, following a tip-off from two walkers. The search has captivated the entire nation, and attracted widespread speculation - as well as criticism of the police response.
Officers poured a huge amount of time and resources into their investigation. Nearly 40 detectives sifted through hundreds of hours of CCTV, dashcam footage and tip-offs from the public.
Ms Bulley's family and friends also made a "final push" to find the mum-of-two by launching their 'Bring Nikki Home' campaign. They gave numerous TV interviews as they clung to the hope that she could still be found alive.
Police revealed in a press conference on Wednesday that Ms Bulley was classed as a "high-risk" missing person immediately after her partner Paul Ansell reported her disappearance, "based on a number of specific vulnerabilities".
A statement later added that Ms Bulley had stopped taking her HRT medication. A public backlash and interventions from the Government and shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper followed, with Lancashire Police confirming a date had been set for an internal review into the investigation.
As the search for Ms Bulley comes to a close, we break down the events leading up to Sunday's tragic discovery, day by day.
January 27: The day of Nicola's disappearance
The 45-year-old left her home at 8.26am, dropping her two daughters off at school before taking Willow for a walk along the path by the River Wyre at 8.43am.
Ten minutes later, Ms Bulley sent an email to her boss, followed by a message to her friends six minutes later, then logged on to a Microsoft Teams call at 9.01am. She was last seen at 9.10am.
At 9.33am, another dog walker found her phone on a bench beside the river, with Willow darting between the two, appearing "bone dry and agitated".
Over an hour later, at 10.50am, Ms Bulley's family and the school attended by her children were told about her disappearance.
Lancashire Constabulary launched an investigation into Ms Bulley's whereabouts on the same day and appealed for witnesses to contact them.
January 28: Police deploy drones and helicopters
The force deployed drones, helicopters and police search dogs as part of the major missing person operation.
They were assisted by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, as well as Bowland Pennine mountain rescue team and the North West underwater search team.
The grounds of a seemingly unoccupied house were searched before the owner is said to have arrived and agreed to check inside.
January 29: Over 100 villagers join search for Nicola
Local residents held a meeting at the village hall around 10.30am to organise searches, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, attracting over 100 villagers, including Paul.
Police urged volunteers to exercise caution, describing the river and its banks as "extremely dangerous" and saying that activity in these areas presented "a genuine risk to the public".
Volunteer searchers were told to move up river and work in a pincer movement, while professionals moved downstream.
January 30: Police say they are 'keeping an open mind'
Superintendent Sally Riley from Lancashire Constabulary said police were "keeping a really open mind about what could have happened", and that they were not treating Ms Bulley's disappearance as suspicious.
She revealed that Nicola's phone was found on a bench with a work teams call still on the screen.
Supt Riley said there was no evidence of any criminal activity nor that Nicola has been attacked.
January 31: Police speak to potential witness
Lancashire Constabulary spoke with a potential witness, a man who had been walking a small white fluffy dog near the River Wyre at the time of Ms Bulley's disappearance.
He is understood to have lived locally and been a regular on the route, but had not seen Nicola on the day she vanished.
Her family released a statement saying they had been "overwhelmed by the support" in their community, and that her daughters were "desperate to have their mummy back home safe".
February 1: Nicola's parents speak out on her disappearance
Ms Bulley's parents, Ernest and Dot Bulley, spoke to The Mirror about the "horror" they faced over the possibility of never seeing her again.
Her father said: "We just dread to think we will never see her again, if the worst came to the worst and she was never found, how will we deal with that for the rest of our lives."
They said they had urged the police to reconsider whether Nicola may have been abducted or attacked, but were told this was unlikely.
February 2: Police track down second witness
Lancashire Constabulary spoke with a second witness who they had identified with the help of the public using CCTV but they told police they did not have any further information to aid their inquiry.
Officers from the North West Police Underwater and Marine support unit searched the area close to where Ms Bulley's mobile phone was found, while police divers scoured the River Wyre.
Meanwhile, Ms Bulley's family appealed to the public for help tracing her.
Speaking with Sky News, her sister Louise Cunningham said: "There has got to be somebody who knows something and all we are asking is, no matter how small or big, if there is anything you remember that doesn't seem right, then please reach out to the police."
February 3: Police reveal their main working hypothesis
Lancashire Police said it was working on the hypothesis that Ms Bulley may have fallen into the River Wyre.
Ms Riley urged against speculation, but said it was "possible" that an "issue" with Ms Bulley's dog may have led her to the water's edge.
She urged the public to look out for items of clothing Ms Bulley was last seen wearing, and gave an extensive list.
Ms Bulley's friends also shared heartfelt appeals via television interviews, including Emma White, who told the BBC that Ms Bulley's daughters were continually asking where she was.
February 4: Nicola's friend questions police theory
Ms White cast doubt on the police theory that she fell into a river, telling Sky News it was based on "limited information".
She said: "When we are talking about a life we can't base it on a hypothesis, surely we need this factual evidence. That's what the family and all of us are holding on to, that we are sadly no further on than last Friday."
In a Facebook post, Ms Cunningham urged people to "keep an open mind" as there is "no evidence whatsoever" that the dog walker fell in the river.
On the same day, Lancashire Police announced it wanted to trace a "key witness" who was seen pushing a pram in the area near where Ms Bulley went missing on the morning of her disappearance.
February 5: Nicola's family call in private dive team
The woman described as a "key witness" by police came forward.
The force insisted she was "very much being treated as a witness" as it warned against "totally unacceptable" speculation and abuse on social media.
Peter Faulding, leader of underwater search experts Specialist Group International (SGI), began searching the river after being called in by Ms Bulley's family.
February 6: Nicola's partner releases a statement
Ms Bulley's friends said they hoped the help of a specialist underwater rescue team would give the family answers.
Speaking to broadcasters, Ms White said the family had asked Mr Faulding and his company for help.
Meanwhile, Ms Bulley's partner Mr Ansell, in a statement released through Lancashire Police, said: "It's been 10 days now since Nicola went missing and I have two little girls who miss their mummy desperately and who need her back.
"This has been such a tough time for the girls especially but also for me and all of Nicola's family and friends, as well as the wider community and I want to thank them for their love and support."
February 7: Search extends to the sea
Superintendent Sally Riley said river searchers are now spreading out towards the sea at Morecambe, but reiterated that police do not believe there was any foul play involved in the disappearance.
She said despite over 500 pieces of information currently being reviewed, investigators are yet to find anything conclusive.
She warned members of the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands when joining the search effort.
February 8: Private dive team pulls out of search
SGI pulled out of the search on Wednesday, and said they were "100 percent" confident Nicola is not in the immediate stretch of water from the bench after trawling several miles over two days.
Mr Faulding said the case is "baffling" but was glad his team hadn't found a body as it meant Nicola may still be alive somewhere.
He was pictured at the search scene with Paul.
A group, believed to have travelled to Lancashire from the Liverpool area, tried to search a building by the river for the missing mum-of-two. They were reportedly issued a dispersal order by police.
February 9: Police told about 'tatty red van'
Former Police and Crime Commissioner questioned why Lancashire Police didn't appear to have brought in an outside force to conduct a peer review.
Police officers searching for Nicola were reported to have been tracking a "tatty-looking" red van which a witness said was parked close to the spot where Ms Bulley disappeared.
Former Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Peter Kirkham put forward seven key questions he believed needed to be answered by the Lancashire Police enquiry team.
February 10: Police say 'damaging' speculation 'must stop'
Police urged people to refrain from indulging in commentary and conspiracy theories about Ms Bulley's disappearance as speculation increases online.
The force said: "We continue to see hurtful abuse of innocent people, including witnesses and local businesses.
"There is also a huge amount of commentary from so-called experts and conspiracy theories which are damaging to the investigation and, worst of all, to Nicola’s family. It must stop."
February 15: Police disclose Nicola's struggles with alcohol and perimenopause
Police held a press conference over the case and say the mother-of-two was classed as a "high-risk" missing person immediately after she was reported missing due to "vulnerabilities."
Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith said: “It’s normal in any missing person investigation that you obviously gather as much information at an early stage about the person in question, which is no different and we did that with Paul.
“I’m not going to go into the details of those individual vulnerabilities. I’ve asked you to respect the family, who are going through unimaginable pain and distress at this moment.
“But those vulnerabilities based our decision-making in terms of grading Nicola as high risk and have continued to form part of my investigation throughout.”
They later disclosed Ms Bulley's struggles with alcohol and perimenopause.
February 16: Nicola's family call for an end to speculation and rumours
In a statement released through Lancashire Police, Ms Bulley's family said the focus had become "distracted from finding Nikki, and more about speculation and rumours into her private life" and called for it to end.
Lancashire Police referred itself to the police watchdog over contact the force had with Ms Bulley prior to her disappearance.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman demanded an "explanation" for the disclosure of Ms Bulley's private information by the force.
February 17: Police announce internal review into investigation
The Information Commissioner said he would ask Lancashire Police questions about the disclosures on Ms Bulley's struggle with alcohol issues and peri-menopause, and that she had stopped taking her HRT medication.
The force also confirmed a date had been set for an internal review into the investigation.
A spokeswoman said: "A review of the investigation is diarised and will be conducted by our head of crime detective Chief Superintendent Pauline Stables."
February 18: Home Secretary meets with police leaders
Ms Braverman met with police leaders to discuss the handling of the investigation after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also expressed "concerns" about the revelation.
According to a source close to the Home Secretary, she received an explanation from police on Thursday evening after becoming "concerned" with how the issue was being handled.
The force also came under fire from the leader of Wyre Council, who said it has "lessons to be learned".
February 19: Nicola's body is discovered in river
A Lancashire Police spokesman said officers recovered a body in the river, less than a mile from where Ms Bulley was last seen, at around 11.35am.
Police divers, a helicopter and drones were pictured at the scene, following a tip-off from two walkers.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman described the developments as "heart-breaking and distressing".
She tweeted: "These are heart-breaking and distressing developments. My thoughts remain with Nicola's family at this extremely difficult time."
Peter Faulding, who assisted police in the investigation by leading a private underwater search team, wrote: "Our thoughts are with Nicola’s family and friends at this difficult time."
February 20: Police confirm body in river is Nicola Bulley
In a press conference at 5.30pm, Lancashire Police said a body found in the search for Nicola Bulley has been confirmed to be the mother-of-two.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Lancashire Police assistant chief constable Peter Lawson said: “Sadly, we are now able to confirm that yesterday we recovered Nicola Bulley from the River Wyre.
“Nicola’s family have been informed and are of course devastated. Our thoughts are with them at this time as well as with all her loved ones and the wider community.
“We recognise the huge impact that Nicola’s disappearance has had on her family and friends, but also on the people of St Michael’s.
“We would like to thank all of those who have helped during what has been a hugely complex and highly emotional investigation.
“Today’s development is not the outcome any of us would have wanted, but we hope that it can at least start to provide some answers for Nicola’s loved ones, who remain foremost in our thoughts.”
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