Nicola Bulley: Calls for TikTok scrutiny after police search

Nicola Bulley was missing for 23 days before her body was found in a river

A police boss has said he wants to understand more about how social media conspiracy theories took hold in the search for missing Nicola Bulley.

Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden has ordered a review of the police investigation.

The mother-of-two's disappearance sparked a major search operation but it also attracted dozens of amateur social media sleuths to the area.

Mr Snowden said it was key to "ask the questions" the public wanted answering.

He said posts on TikTok in particular had attempted to discredit "bungling, incompetent" officers - while amateur detectives claimed they knew better.

A specialist diving team used sonars to help search for Ms Bulley

Ms Bulley, 45, was last seen walking her dog by the river in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, after dropping off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school.

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.

It was 23 days before her body was found in the river one mile away from where she was last seen.

Lancashire Police was criticised for making Ms Bulley's struggles with alcohol and the menopause public during the search.

However, the Information Commissioner's Office later said the force will not face action over its disclosures after a "fast-paced" investigation.

Andrew Snowden has commissioned an independent review into the handling of the case

Mr Snowden told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "TikTok in particular saw online amateur detectives pushing conspiracy theories out, which resulted in vile abuse towards Nicola's family and friends.

"How did that get so out of hand?"

However, Mr Snowden said he did not want to "pre-empt" the outcome of the review he had requested.

The review is being conducted by the College of Policing and is expected to report its findings in the autumn.

It will focus on:

• The police's operational response to the high-risk missing person investigation

• Communication and engagement with the press, public and family

• Decision-making surrounding the disclosure of sensitive personal information

The commissioner said it was "good practice" to review police handling of a "major story".

A major search operation was mounted after Nicola Bulley went missing

Mr Snowden added that a policing investigation which "was sadly correct in its hypothesis all the way along" became such a story "about 'bungling, incompetent cops".

Lancashire Police were convinced Ms Bulley had fallen in the river despite extensive searches failing to find her for more than three weeks.

This sparked conspiracy theories and speculation over her private life.