Unfortunately, the disappearance of Nicola Bulley has ended in tragedy after a body was found in the River Wyre, Lancashire. Ms Bulley, 45, had gone missing three weeks ago while walking her dog in St Michael’s on Wyre, and a major search was launched to find her. The discovery of a body in the river has now brought an end to the search, but the identity of the body has not yet been confirmed.
Paul Ansell, Ms Bulley’s partner, has expressed his grief in a statement to Sky News, saying that he has “no words right now, just agony.” Lancashire Police have also released a statement, saying that they have “sadly recovered a body” from the water, and that the death is being treated as “unexplained.” Formal identification has not yet been carried out, and the police are currently in the process of identifying the body.
Former Lancashire Police chief superintendent Bob Eastwood has defended the force’s investigation amid “an absolute onslaught” of criticism. He spoke out against those who have subjected detective superintendent Rebecca Smith, the senior investigating officer on the case, to misogynistic abuse during the search. Mr Eastwood also accused “so-called specialists” of imposing themselves on the investigation and Ms Bulley’s family, and said that they “fed into a lot of people’s obsessions.”
The circumstances surrounding the discovery of the body have raised questions about the police search operation. Police had previously said that Ms Bulley had gone into the river, but her body was found less than a mile from where she was last seen, prompting questions about why it took three weeks to locate the body. The fact that the river is tidal and fast flowing has been cited as a reason why the body may have been difficult to locate.
The disappearance of Ms Bulley had garnered significant media attention, with large numbers of people visiting and filming around the area. However, the influx of people and speculation on social media had led to police issuing dispersal notices and warnings over anti-social behaviour. One influencer was detained and fined after posting that he had been in “people’s back gardens at night-time with torches,” while two other people were arrested after malicious messages were sent to parish councillors about the case.
The intense scrutiny of the case had also led to backlash against Lancashire Police after they disclosed Ms Bulley’s struggles with the menopause and alcohol, which they said was “to avoid any further speculation.” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt, and Home Secretary Suella Braverman had all expressed concerns about the police statement, leading Lancashire Police to announce an internal review into its investigation.
The discovery of the body in the River Wyre is a tragic end to the search for Nicola Bulley, and raises further questions about the police investigation and media scrutiny of the case.
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