Nicola Bulley: Missing dog walker's parents speak of their dread

Nicola Bulley has been missing since she took her dog for a walk on Friday morning

The parents of a missing mother-of-two have spoken of their "dread" at the thought of never seeing her again as the search continued for a seventh day.

Nicola Bulley, 45, was last seen walking her dog next to the River Wyre in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, at about 09:15 GMT on Friday.

Ernest and Dot Bulley told the Mirror their grandchildren were "sobbing their hearts out" because "mummy is lost".

Ms Bulley had just dropped her girls, aged six and nine, off at school.

Mr Bulley, 73, and his 72-year-old wife said their daughter had been in good spirits and her disappearance was totally out of character.

Nicola Bulley's phone was found on a bench, still connected to a work call.

A harness and lead for her springer spaniel, Willow, was also discovered.

Police were called after a member of the public alerted them to the dog running loose off Garstang Road.

Despite a huge search involving the police helicopter, drones, sniffer dogs, and an army of volunteers, no trace of Ms Bulley has been found.

Specialist divers have also been scouring the River Wyre.

Search teams continued on Thursday to look for any sign of Nicola Bulley in the river

Nicola's dog, a springer spaniel named Willow, was found loose between the river and a bench

Mr Bulley told the Mirror: "There was no sign of a slip or falling in, so our thought was 'has somebody got her?'

"I asked the sergeant from Fleetwood a few days ago, 'Is there any chance of her being taken?' and she said, 'I don't think that's the case'.

"I said, 'How can you know that?' It's such an isolated area, the only way that has happened is if it was someone who knew her."

He added: "We just dread to think we will never see her again, if the worst came to the worst and she was never found, how will we deal with that for the rest of our lives?"

'Perpetual hell'

A woman called Amanda told BBC Radio Lancashire she and her husband saw Ms Bulley and her dog shortly before she disappeared.

"It is a lady that comes on [the walk] every day. The dog you see every day. I believe there has been a telephone left.

"Just an absolute mystery; can't explain it."

Lancashire Police said officers were keeping an "open mind" about what happened, but did not believe Ms Bulley had been attacked.

A police diver continues to search in the River Wyre nearly a week after Ms Bulley's disappearance

A key witness, who was walking a white fluffy dog in the area, was located and spoken to on Tuesday.

The man "spoke to the woman in the area who found Nicola's dog near a bench in the field", the force said in an earlier statement.

Another woman in the area told the BBC she had seen the dog moments after it was found.

She recognised the spaniel and knew who it belonged to, adding that it was "bone dry" and showed no signs of having been in the river that morning.

Ms Bulley's partner, Paul Ansell, 44, has described the situation as "perpetual hell".

In a statement, her family said: "The girls are desperate to have their mummy back home safe with them and your ongoing efforts have provided comfort to them whilst we await news on Nicola.

"We ask for anyone who thinks they may have any information that may help the police find Nicola to please come forward and help them with their inquiries."

Supt Sally Riley said: "I must stress at this time that this remains a missing person inquiry and at this time there is nothing to suggest any third-party involvement in Nicola's disappearance.

"We appreciate there is also a great deal of concern in the local community, and we appreciate people want to help.

"However, parts of the riverbank are treacherous, and we would ask that nobody puts themselves in danger and that the police and partner agencies' efforts to find Nicola are not compromised."