The family of missing mum Nicola Bulley have released a statement as the police search approaches its third week.
Ms Bulley disappeared in the early hours of Friday, January 27 while walking her pet dog Willow near the River Wyre after dropping her two daughters off at school. Her phone, still connected to a work call for her job as a mortgage adviser, was discovered just over 20 minutes later on a bench overlooking the riverbank, with her dog running loose.
Ms Bulley's family said they "believe that the public focus has become distracted from finding Nikki, and more about speculation and rumours into her private life."
They have also provided more details about Nicola's health before she went missing - saying she suffered with significant side effects due to the peri-menopause.
In a statement issued by Lancashire Police, the family said: "It has now been three weeks since Nikki went missing. We, as a family, believe that the public focus has become distracted from finding Nikki, and more about speculation and rumours into her private life.
“As a family, we were aware that Lancashire Police, last night, released a statement with some personal details. Although we know that Nikki would not have wanted this, there are people out there threatening to sell stories about her.
"This is appalling and needs to stop.”
The statement adds: "The police know the truth about Nikki and now the public need to focus on finding her. Due to the peri-menopause Nikki suffered with significant side effects such as brain fog, restless sleep and was taking HRT to help but this was giving her intense headaches.
"The headaches caused Nikki to stop taking the HRT thinking that may have helped her but only ended up causing this crisis. The public focus has to be on finding her and not making up wild theories about her personal life.
"Despite what some media outlets are suggesting, we are being updated daily & receive support from our family liaison officers. Nikki is such a wonderful daughter, sister, partner and mother and is missed dearly - we all need you back in our lives.
"Nikki, we hope you are reading this and know that we love you so much and your girls want a cuddle. We all need you home. You can reach out to us, or you can contact https://orlo.uk/tZ3Xo Don’t be scared, we all love you so very much."
The statement comes a day after Lancashire Police issued an update disclosing that the mother-of-two suffered issues with alcohol “brought on by her ongoing struggles with the menopause”
Senior officers said on Wednesday that Ms Bulley was “vulnerable” and classed by police as a “high-risk” missing person immediately after her partner Paul Ansell reported her disappearance.
Meanwhile, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has said they have made contact with Lancashire Police over information made public in a press conference about missing mother Nicola Bulley’s private life. In a statement, a spokesman for the IOPC said: “Following information that was made public by Lancashire Constabulary yesterday, we have made contact with the force to determine if a referral to the IOPC may be required.”
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