Police say that the body found in the River Wyre is that of Nicola Bulley. The body was found more than three weeks after she went missing while walking her dog.
At a press conference on Monday (February 20), Lancashire Police told the public that Nicola Bulley’s body had been found in the river and had been officially identified.
The 45-year-old mother of two had not been seen since January 27. She had taken her six- and nine-year-old daughters to school and then walked the family dog, Willow, near the River Wyre in St. Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.
A short time later, Willow was seen by herself looking upset, and Nicola Bulley’s phone was found on a nearby bench still connected to a work conference call.
At first, the police thought that Nicola Bulley had fallen into the river and drowned. However, even though they looked for her in the water for a long time, they never found any sign of her.
On February 19, more than three weeks after she was last seen, a man and a woman walking their dog called the police and told them where her body was. It was less than a mile from where she was last seen.
During a press conference on Monday, Lancashire Police said:
Sadly, we are now able to confirm that yesterday we recovered Nicola Bulley from the River Wyre. Nicola’s family have been informed and are, of course, devastated.
BREAKING: Police confirm that Nicola Bulley's family have been informed that the body found in the River Wyre is the missing mother-of-two.https://t.co/7QNlwK3f7m
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/Q16KsbX1wu
— Sky News (@SkyNews) February 20, 2023
There was also a statement from the family, which said:
Our family liaison officers have had to confirm our worst fears today. We will never be able to comprehend what Nikki had gone through in her last moments and that will never leave us.
We will never forget Nikki – how could we? She was the center of our world. She was the one who made our lives so special and nothing will cast a shadow over that.
Our girls will get the support they need from the people who love them the most and it saddens us to think that one day we will have to explain to them that the press and members of the public accused their dad of wrongdoing, misquoted and vilified friends and family.
This is absolutely appalling. They have to be held accountable, this can not happen to another family.
The family criticized Sky News and ITV for getting in touch with them after Nicola Bulley’s body was found, even though they had asked for privacy.
Leave us alone now.
These are our lives and our children’s lives,
they added.
To those that genuinely helped and supported us privately, we thank you. The community support in St Michael’s, friends, neighbours, and strangers, has been nothing short of comforting and heartwarming. Friends, you know who you are – thank you.
Our hearts truly break for others who have missing loved ones – keep that hope alive. Finally, Nikki – you are no longer a missing person. You have been found. We can let you rest now. We love you, always have and always will. We will take it from here.
After the body was found, Lancashire Police put out a statement that said:
This morning, Sunday, 19 February, you may be aware of police activity around the river near to St Michaels. We want to provide you with an update on that activity.
We were called today at 11:36 AM to reports of a body in the River Wyre, close to Rawcliffe Road. An underwater search team and specialist officers have subsequently attended the scene, entered the water, and have sadly recovered a body.
No formal identification has yet been carried out, so we are unable to say whether this is Nicola Bulley at this time.
This morning, Sunday, 19 February, you may be aware of police activity around the river near to St Michaels. We want to provide you with an update on that activity.
We were called today at 11:36am to reports of a body in the River Wyre, close to Rawcliffe Road. pic.twitter.com/zTtloX69hJ
— Lancashire Police (@LancsPolice) February 19, 2023
Procedures to identify the body are on-going. We are currently treating the death as unexplained,
they added.
Nicola’s family have been informed of developments and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult of times. We ask that their privacy is respected.”
Nicola Bulley’s partner, Paul Ansell, 44, said that he had “no words right now, just agony” after the body was found. He also said:
We’re all together, we have to be strong.
Authorities had done an “arc-search,” which means they moved from one side of the river to the other to look for the missing mother. However, they were unable to find her.
Bulley’s body is thought to have been found in reeds just around a small bend in the river, near where a tree had fallen on its side and was partially submerged.
Expert forensic diver Peter Faulding had led a separate search of the water with the police. He had said before that it was unlikely that Bulley would be found in the river.
After a dead body was found, he said:
All I can say is when we searched she was not on the bottom of that river. We weren’t searching the reeds, our job was to search the water.
He had said before those most people who drown “go down where they are” and are found within five to ten meters of where they got into the water.
Nicola Bulley’s family and friends are in our thoughts as they go through this hard time.
