Officers searching for Nicola Bulley want to trace a “key witness” who was seen in the area near where the dog walker went missing, Lancashire Police said. The woman was pushing a pram on the morning of Friday, January 27.
Search teams are continuing to trawl the River Wyre near St Michael’s, working on the hypothesis that missing Nicola, from nearby Inskip, could have fallen in when she disappeared. Police believe the 45-year-old mortgage adviser went missing in just “a 10-minute window” while she was walking her dog, Willow, close to the River Wyre, after dropping off her daughters – aged six and nine – at school.
The woman police want to trace was seen on Garstang Road/Blackpool Road, St Michael’s. Police said she was seen walking from the direction of Allotment Lane towards the Grapes public house at approximately 8.22am and is seen again walking on Allotment Lane towards Garstang Road at 8.41am.
Lancashire Police said: "It is believed that the female in question may have walked along the river path during these times and so detectives want to speak to her and urge her to get in touch We are also appealing to anyone who was driving down Blackpool Lane/Garstang Lane on the morning of Friday 27th January between the times of 9am and 10am who has dash cam footage on their vehicles to make contact.
"Whilst you may not think that you hold any relevant information, it is really important that we gather as much footage as possible from the area that morning so we can review every piece meticulously to establish whether Nicola can be seen. We know from the footage we are currently reviewing, that this is a busy road, particularly at that time in the morning.
"There will be many people who were in that area at the time who may not think they can help, however we would urge you not to make that decision yourself and to come forward so we can have as much material as possible to assist the investigation. If you were in a car or cycling in the area and have footage, please get in contact."
Anyone with information or footage is asked to call 101, quoting log 565 of January 30. For immediate sightings, call 999.
