Nicola Bulley: Missing dog walker has ‘two little girls who need their mummy home’, partner says

When did Nicola Bulley go missing?

Nicola Bulley, from Inskip, was last seen on a footpath by the River Wyre in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre at around 9.15am on Friday (January 27).

The 45-year-old’s mobile phone was later found on a bench near to where she was last seen, with her brown-coloured spaniel Willow also found close by.

What has Ms Bulley’s partner said?

Ms Bulley’s partner Paul Ansell, speaking from the family home in Inskip, said he spent all of Sunday searching for the mother-of-two.

The engineer, who has been in a relationship with Ms Bulley for 12 years, said: “It is just perpetual hell. It is just utter disbelief.

“We are living through this but it doesn’t feel real.

“All we can say is we need to find her. She’s got two little girls that need their mummy home.

“We have got to get some good news now.”

Mr Ansell said he or Ms Bulley, also known as Nikki, would drop the children, aged nine and six, off at a local primary school before taking Willow for a walk along the river nearby.

Ms Bulley did the school run before heading for the dog walk on Friday, police indicated.

“I got a call from the school regarding somebody who had found Willow, and Nikki’s phone and the dog lead and harness on the bench,” Mr Ansell, who then called the police, said.

“We take the kids to school and take the dog down there – either myself or Nikki – nearly every day.”

What have Lancashire Police said?

At a press conference on Monday (January 30), Supt Sally Riley said police were “keeping a really open mind about what could have happened.”

She added: “We think the likelihood is Nicola has gone missing and it is not a crime.

“It is very sad and we are doing everything we can to find her safe and well.”

What does Nicola look like?

Ms Bulley, a mortgage adviser, has lived in Lancashire for 25 years but is originally from near Chelmsford, Essex, and has a southern accent.

She is described as white, 5ft 3ins (1.6m) tall, with light brown shoulder-length hair.

Her hair was tied into a ponytail at the time of her disappearance and was last seen wearing a long black gilet jacket with a hood, black jeans and olive green ankle wellies.

Who is searching for her?

Searches have been carried out by Lancashire Police, using a helicopter, drones and dogs with support from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue team and the North West Underwater Search Team.

Locals have also organised searches in the area, but police warned residents to “stay safe” because the “river and its banks are extremely dangerous”.

Chief Insp Chris Barton, of Lancashire Police, said: “We appreciate there is a great deal of concern in the local area and that people want to help, however we would ask that nobody puts themselves in any danger.

“If anybody has any questions or concerns they are welcome to speak to officers in the area.”

Anybody with information can call 101, quoting log 473 of January 27, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.