The partner of Nicola Bulley who has been missing for 10 days said their two children "need their mummy back".
Nicola was last seen on Friday morning (January 27) at around 9.20am on the upper field by the river off Garstang Road where she had taken her Spaniel, Willow, for a walk after dropping her kids at school in the village. Doorbell footage from the day of her disappearance showed Nicola loading her car outside her home before driving her two children to school and going for a riverside walk.
Police believe she may have fallen into the river but say they remain "open minded". Enquiries so far have included searches of the river and riverbank which have extended all the way to the sea using specialist search teams, sonar, search dogs, drone and helicopter, house to house and CCTV.
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Police have also spoken to numerous witnesses, analysed Nicola’s mobile phone and Fitbit and searched the derelict house on the other side of the river as well as any empty caravans in the vicinity. Now, Nicola's partner, Paul Ansell, has issued an emotional appeal through Lancashire Police.
In a new statement released today Mr Ansell said: “It’s been ten 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.
"We are also really grateful to Peter and his team from SGI for coming up and helping support the work of Lancashire Police as they continue their investigation. If anyone has any information which could help find Nicola, I urge them to get in touch with the police and help us provide the answers we all so badly need.”
Police have said they "can say with confidence" that by reviewing CCTV, Nicola has not left the field during the key times via Rowanwater, either through the site itself or via the piece of land at the side. They added that she did not return from the fields along Allotment Lane or via the path at the rear of the Grapes pub onto Garstang Road.
Lancashire Police said they have received a huge amount of information into the enquiry, all of which is being looked at. they added that they would like to remind people that much of the speculation and comments on social media are "both unhelpful to the investigation and, more importantly, hurtful for the family, who are going through agony as they wait for answers".
Police are now focusing their investigation on the river path which leads from the fields back to Garstang Road. They're looking for drivers and cyclists who travelled that way on the morning of January 27 and asking them to make contact.
Detective Supt Rebecca Smith said: “The team working on this investigation are completely dedicated and determined to find Nicola. As a mother myself, I can’t even begin to imagine what her two children are going through.
“Please be reassured that our sole focus is Nicola and that we are doing everything we can to find her. It is not possible to provide every piece of information to the public because to do so would detract from the investigation, but I’d like to thank everyone who has assisted us so far and for the support provided to Nicola’s family at this extremely difficult time.
“They are being supported and updated throughout. I would ask that anyone who was driving/cycling through St Michael’s last Friday morning and who has dashcam footage to get in touch with us if they haven’t already done so.
"I would also ask in fisherman who may have been in the area at the time to make contact if you feel you can assist. I would also appeal again to anyone who has any other footage – CCTV or Ring Doorbell for example, or any other information, no matter how insignificant you might think it is, to contact us as every small piece can help us build up a picture.”
As a reminder Nicola is white, 5ft 3ins tall, with light brown shoulder-length hair. She speaks with an Essex accent.
She was last seen wearing a long, knee length black quilted gilet with a hood. She had a black Engelbert Strauss coat underneath which had long sleeves and came to her waist.
She was wearing tight black jeans and had long green walking socks tucked into her jeans. She was wearing size five ankle length green wellington boots from Next.
Her hair was tied into a ponytail. She was wearing a pale blue fitbit.
Anyone with information or footage is asked to call 101, quoting log 565 of January 30. For any immediate sightings, please call 999.
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