An ex-detective looking into the disappearance of mum-of-two Nicola Bulley believes there are "three options" still on the table, but believes two of them are now looking "far less likely". Mark Williams-Thomas, who is now an investigative journalist, appeared on the Channel 5 documentary Vanished: Where is Nicola Bulley and is spending time in the town of St Michael’s on Wyre this week.
Nicola, 45, disappeared while walking her springer spaniel dog Willow alongside the River Wyre in the town on January 27, sparking a major police search effort. Despite exhaustive searches in the area over the past two weeks, no trace of Nicola has been found.
Read more: Nicola Bulley's partner says he is 100% convinced the missing dog walker is not in the river
Mr Williams-Thomas believes there are three situations still very plausible, but believes that it is looking more likely like "foul play" could be an option. He says: "For me the three options still remain very much on the table in relation to Nicola Bulley disappearance- all have some credence - although 1 and 2 are looking far less likely now . 1) She went into the water by some means 2) She left of her own accord 3) Foul play 3rd party."
Lancashire Police detectives have always said they believe she fell into the river. They are treating the case as a missing person inquiry and do not believe her disappearance was suspicious.
"We believe that Nicola was in the riverside area and remained at the riverside area," Supt Sally Riley, who is leading the investigation, has said.
The detective has also said they remain "fully open-minded to any information that may indicate where Nicola is or what happened to her". Over the weekend there were reports that the presence of "suspicious" men in the area was being looked at — read about that here.
A force spokesperson said they could "say with confidence" that Ms Bulley had not left the field "via Rowanwater, either through the site itself or via the piece of land at the side" and did not return from the fields along Allotment Lane or via the path at the rear of the Grapes pub on to Garstang Road.
Meanwhile, Julie Mackay, a retired Detective Superintendent who previously solved a 32-year-old murder, has told the Mirror that she backs the police's working hypothesis based on three factors:
- No new information has given them a reason to think otherwise.
- It is unlikely to be criminal based on the time she disappeared.
- The winter conditions would make it harder to find her.
She said: "I still believe she's gone in that river - today when you look at the last two weeks and review it, nothing has changed."
The former Det Supt said that even though she hasn't been found near the potential entry point near the bench, it doesn't mean she's not there.
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