The passers-by who alerted police to a body in the River Wyre in Lancashire told police "there is definitely a body down there", a witness has said. The man was at the scene when specialist officers first arrived after being tipped off by a couple, according to the Mirror.
He said he heard the couple, who were sat on a wall vaping and appeared "ashen-faced", tell the first officer that "it was the body of a woman" they had seen around a mile downstream from where Ms Bulley, 45, had seemingly vanished on January 27. Roads were closed yesterday morning as police reacted to the news of the discovery and a police helicopter was seen in the air.
The witness said: “I noticed a man and a woman and two police officers on the embankment. I heard the man talking to police about something in the undergrowth. Police cars were flying down the road with the blues and twos going. A police officer pulled up a few minutes later and got his drone out."
Has your business been affected by the cost of living crisis? Let us know here
“Five minutes later the helicopter arrived. Officers asked to me get out so I moved 200 yards down the road. I could still clearly see the man pointing at the riverbank. Then more police cars raced down with the blues and twos going. They cleared the entire road.”
Senior Investigating Officer Det Supt Rebecca Smith arrived at the area to oversee recovery of the body. A white forensic tent was also erected at the scene.
The body was not confirmed as Ms Bulley's yesterday but her family were informed. Her partner Paul Ansell told Sky News in a statement that he had "no words, just agony" at the news.
Lancashire Police said in a statement: “We were called today at 11.36am to reports of a body in the River Wyre. 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, so we are unable to say whether this is Nicola Bulley at this time. Procedures to identify the body are ongoing.
“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."
READ NEXT:
Nottingham Castle failure has cost city council £800,000 in lost income and fees
Second high-rise office block next to Nottingham train station could create thousands of jobs
Royal Mail rejects claims it plans to shut Notts sorting office
Security gates block off area hit by anti-social behaviour in town
