Nicola Bulley: Nothing making sense in missing mum case, friend says

Nicola Bulley disappeared while walking her dog near the River Wyre in Lancashire

A friend of missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley has said nothing about her disappearance was "making sense".

Ms Bulley, 45, was last seen walking her dog by the river in St Michael's on Wyre in Lancashire 11 days ago.

Heather Gibbons said Ms Bulley's family were "appreciative of all the police have done" but no-one would know what happened "until we have some evidence".

Earlier, a search expert said he had not seen a more unusual case in his 20-year career.

Peter Faulding, who has led a team of underwater experts searching the River Wyre, said another stretch near where she went missing would be investigated.

Ms Bulley's partner Paul Ansell issued a fresh appeal on Monday, saying her daughters missed her desperately.

Lancashire Police have continued to search the River Wyre for Ms Bulley

Speaking on the riverbank, Ms Gibbons said speculation on social media about the disappearance had been "hard" for the family to deal with and the number of visitors arriving in the area had made it feel like a "tourist spot".

"Up to a certain level, we understand it's human nature, it's natural for everyone to have speculation, because the truth is in this, nothing is making sense," she said.

She added that while the "turnout for the search" had been "amazing... we have noticed it does feel like some people have come to maybe use it as more like a tourist spot".

"The truth is if we look at it factually, no-one knows [what has happened] until we have some evidence," she said.

"I know that the family are massively appreciative of all the police have done [and] we feel we have got the best of the best on that water.

"Hopefully it will be a completion, one way or the other, and if they find nothing, then maybe it's time to start looking down other avenues."

Divers from a private search team have worked alongside Lancashire Police officers on the river

A team of divers from a private firm, headed up by Mr Faulding, searched "three or four miles" of river until it got dark on Monday.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast earlier, Mr Faulding said the case was "so unusual".

"I would expect to find Nicola in the water right in front of the bench where she went down," he said.

"This is so strange.

"In my 20-odd years of doing this, I have worked on hundreds of cases [and] I have never seen anything so unusual."

He later told BBC Radio 5 Live that "even the police are confused".

"The police divers would have found her that day if she had fallen in at that point," he said.

Lancashire Police officers investigating the disappearance have now focused their efforts on a river path.

The force said sightings showed Ms Bulley had moved from the school, where she dropped her two daughters off, along the river path and into the field and it urged drivers or cyclists on Garstang Road to get in touch.

• Police focus on river path in search for Nicola

• Nicola's partner 'distraught' as divers join search

• Vile theories hurt missing mum's family - friend

Ms Bulley had dropped her two daughters, aged six and nine, off at school and then gone on her usual dog walk alongside the river before she disappeared.

Her phone, still connected to a Teams call for her job as a mortgage adviser, was found on a bench on a steep riverbank overlooking the water, along with the dog lead and harness on the ground.

Lancashire Police previously released CCTV images of Ms Bulley, which were captured near the time of her disappearance

In a statement released by the force on Monday, Mr Ansell said he had "two little girls who miss their mummy desperately and who need her back".

"This has been such a tough time for the girls especially, but also for me and all of Nicola's family and friends, as well as the wider community and I want to thank them for their love and support," he added.

Lancashire Police believe Ms Bulley may have fallen into the River Wyre, but have said they "remain open minded" and were continuing to carry out a "huge number" of inquiries.

On Monday, a force representative said they could "say with confidence" that Ms Bulley had not left the field during the key times "via Rowanwater, either through the site itself or via the piece of land at the side" and did not return from the fields along Allotment Lane or via the path at the rear of the Grapes pub on to Garstang Road.

"Our inquiries now focus on the river path which leads from the fields back to Garstang Road," they said.

They added that officers had also "spoken to numerous witnesses, analysed Nicola's mobile phone and Fitbit and searched the derelict house on the other side of the river as well as any empty caravans in the vicinity".

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]