The family of missing mum-of-two Nicola Bulley have said they are 'incredibly heartbroken' after a body has been recovered from the river near to where she disappeared.
Nicola, 45, vanished without a trace on January 27 after dropping her two children off at school. A three-week long search for her continued today after police confirmed they had found a body in the River Wyre in the Lancashire village of St Michael's on Wyre.
Formal identification of the body has not yet taken place, but police said Nicola's family have been informed.
READ MORE: Exhausted and in the eye of a storm, St Michael's on Wyre waits after the news no one wanted
Sky News correspondent Inzamam Rashid said this evening he has been in touch with Nicola's family, who told him they are 'heartbroken' by the development.
Mr Rashid said: "I've been in contact with Nicola's family on text message, and they are heartbroken by this significant development from Lancashire Police.
"The family are incredibly heartbroken and they will really be struggling tonight."
Police were called at 11.36am on Sunday to reports of a body in the River Wyre. Nearby Rawcliffe Road was taped off by officers while an underwater search team and specialist officers worked to recover the body.
Police said they are treating the death as "unexplained" and formal identification is yet to take place.
Lancashire Police said in a statement: "Police have confirmed a body has been found in the River Wyre in Lancashire. Officers said today, Sunday, February 19, there has been police activity around the river near to St Michaels.
"Police were called today at 11.36am to reports of a body in the River Wyre, close to Rawcliffe Road. An underwater search team and specialist officers have subsequently attended the scene, entered the water and have sadly recovered a body.
"No formal identification has yet been carried out. We are unable to say whether this is Nicola Bulley at this time. Procedures to identify the body are on-going.
"We are currently treating the death as unexplained. Nicola’s family have been informed of developments and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult of times. We ask that their privacy is respected."
READ NEXT:
Nicola Bulley search expert Peter Faulding makes first statement as police discover body
Dog walker who found missing Nicola Bulley's phone 'knew something wasn't right'
'Offensive' Nicola Bulley voicemail received amid spate of phone calls to council
'I feared for my life after my cruel ex locked me in his house and threatened to chop my head off'
