An ex-detective believes there could only be 'two possibilities' why it took cops 23 days to discover a body in the search for missing mum Nicola Bulley.
The 45-year-old vanished walking her dog on January 27 just after dropping off her two young children at school in St Michaels on Wyre, Lancashire, reports the Daily Mirror.
Her heartbroken family were told on Sunday officers had located the remains of a person from the River Wyre after the alarm was raised earlier in the day by two dog walkers.
Formal identification has not yet been completed, but Nicola's family have been informed.
Forensic dive expert Peter Faulding stated in the weeks past that he believed Nicola was not in the River Wyre after his team had searched the area.
However, an ex-detective has revealed the two reasons why a body may not have been found during their search of the river.
Speaking to the Times, he said: “It's important to emphasise we don't know all the facts.
“That means really only two other possibilities - the body was weighed down or there were failures in the search."
"However, it does seem pretty extraordinary given the level of searches in that area."
Mr Faulding and his team of experts were in the area for three days searching the River Wyre after being called in by cops ten days after she vanished.
He said at the time: "If Nicola was in that river, I would have found her. She’s not there."
He released a statement this morning, explaining the reason why he believes they did not found a body during their search.
He said it was found in the "reeds" and his specialist sonar equipment "does not penetrate reeds".
"The police underwater search teams and land search teams were searching for three full weeks and were also unable to find Nicola," he added.
"Unfortunately, it was a member of the public that made a grim discovery, unconfirmed as yet to be Nicola.
"Sadly, the discovery was not found in the river but in the reeds at the side of the river which was not part of our remit as the side scan sonar does not penetrate reeds above or below the water.
Mr Faulding had put forward a number of theories publicly before yesterday's tragic discover, saying Nicola might never be found, or that she could have been "pushed hard from behind" into the river.
On Sunday, February 19, a police spokesman revealed they were called to reports of a body in the river at around 11.35am.
"An underwater search team and specialist officers have subsequently attended the scene, entered the water and have sadly recovered a body," a statement said.
"No formal identification has yet been carried out, so we are unable to say whether this is at this time.”
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