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The partner of missing mum-of-two Nicola Bulley has said he will “never lose hope”, one week on from her disappearance.

Paul Ansell said he “cannot get his head around” how the 45-year-old had vanished, and said his focus was on staying strong for their two daughters, aged six and nine.

Ms Bulley, 45, was last seen walking her dog near the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre last Friday morning (January 27).

Speaking near the scene where Ms Bulley was last seen, Mr Ansell told broadcasters: “Every single scenario comes to a brick wall. Every single one of them.

Paul Ansell said he “cannot get his head around” how the 45-year-old had vanished. "It is as though she has vanished into thin air. It’s just insane," he said today, a week after Nicola went missing whilst walking her dog next to the River Wyre on Friday, January 27

"All we are doing is sitting there going round and round and round through each scenario.”

He added: "We’re never, ever going to lose hope, of course we’re not, but it is as though she has vanished into thin air. It’s just insane.”

The 44-year-old said his “whole focus is my two girls” and that he was “hoping to goodness” that people would come forward with new information following an interview with Ms Bulley’s parents and sister on Thursday.

This morning (Friday, February 3), members of the local community stood by the side of the road holding signs bearing Ms Bulley’s photo, urging people to contact police with information.

Nicola, a mortgage adviser from Inskip, vanished while walking her dog after dropping off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school last Friday morning

Mr Ansell said the support from the community had given the family “a great amount of comfort”.

Women in St Michael's on Wyre 'fearful' of going out alone as mum-of-two Nicola ...

A potential witness, a dog walker, who was traced following a police appeal on Thursday, said she had spoken to officers and “doesn’t know anything”.

Christine Bowman, 67, told the Daily Mirror: “It has made local women fearful. If they have husbands or partners, they have been taking the dogs out instead.”

Members of the public line the road into St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, with missing posters of Nicola Bulley, 45, as police continue their search for the missing woman who was last seen on the morning of Friday January 27, when she was spotted walking her dog on a footpath by the nearby River Wyre. Picture date: Friday February 3, 2023.

Lancashire Police, who have launched a huge search operation, said that despite “unanswered questions”, people should not “speculate or spread false rumours” about the disappearance.

Nicola, a mortgage adviser from Inskip, vanished while walking her dog after dropping off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school last Friday morning.

She was last seen at 9.10am and she had logged on to a work Teams call, which ended at 9.30am with her still logged on.

Her mobile phone and the lead and harness for her dog, springer spaniel Willow, were found on a bench close to the River Wyre.

Lancashire Police have said they do not believe any crime has been committed and are treating the incident as a missing person inquiry.

Anybody who has seen Nicola, or has information about where she might be, is asked to call 101, quoting log 565 of January 30. For immediate sightings call 999.

Nicola Bulley's partner says he will ‘never lose hope’ as search for missing mum continues