The partner of missing Nicola Bulley has made a fresh plea for information as the search goes on to find the mother-of-two. The 45-year-old disappered on a dog walk at a riverside beauty spot.
Her phone, still connected to a Teams call for her job as a mortgage adviser, was found on a bench on a steep riverbank overlooking the water, along with the dog lead, with the dog harness on the ground. Police say they think she fell into the river possibly while dealing with an issue with her springer spaniel Willow who has also been found.
In a new statement released through Lancashire Police, her partner Paul Ansell said: “It’s been 10 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.”
Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith, of Lancashire Police, 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.”
The appeal came as underwater search experts arrived to help in the hunt for the missing mum. Peter Faulding, the head of private diving team Specialist Group International, said he had spoken to Mr Ansell, who he said was "extremely distraught".
He said: “I’ve just spoken to him just now where we’re staying. And you know, my thoughts go out to the family and friends.
“It’s a very difficult time. I’m used to dealing with, you know, families of drowning victims. It’s a horrible thing to be going through not knowing where your loved one is.”
Mr Faulding, said his team of experts and divers, based in Dorking, Surrey, which assists police forces in the south of England, would search a stretch of the river using specialist underwater sonar equipment, which he said has a “very high hit rate”.
He added: “If Nicola is in the river, I’m confident that we’ll find her. If she’s not in the river, then obviously we won’t find anything but we’re going to work our hardest, we’ll probably be working under darkness tonight for a while, and that’s my intention to help the family.”
