UK Police Recovers Body From River Near Where Nicola Bulley Went Missing

Undated family image of Nicola Bulley and her dog Willow. Bulley vanished after walking the dog on the banks of the River Wyre in Lancashire, England on Jan. 27, 2023. Family/Lancashire Police

A body has been found in the River Wyre during the search for missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley, Lancashire Police said on Sunday.

Bulley, 45, was last seen on the morning of Jan. 27 as she walked her cocker spaniel, Willow, beside the River Wyre in Lancashire, after dropping her two young daughters off at a primary school in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre.

Lancashire Police said in a statement released on Sunday afternoon: “We were called today at 11.36 a.m. 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.

A woman holds up a placard during search for Nicola Bulley, who went missing in Lancashire, England, on Jan. 27, 2023. PA

“No formal identification has yet been carried out, so we are unable to say whether this is Nicola Bulley at this time. Procedures to identify the body are on-going. We are currently treating the death as unexplained.

“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.”

Home Secretary Suella Braverman described the developments as “heart-breaking and distressing.”

She wrote on Twitter: “These are heart-breaking and distressing developments. My thoughts remain with Nicola’s family at this extremely difficult time.”

‘Specific Vulnerabilities’

The investigation into her disappearance has attracted widespread speculation as well as criticism of the police response.

On Feb. 15, Lancashire Police held a press conference in which they said Bulley had “specific vulnerabilities” which led them to immediately assess her as “high risk” when she was reported missing.

They later issued a statement clarifying what they meant by her “vulnerabilities.”

Private underwater search and recovery company, Specialist Group International, searching the River Wyre in Lancashire, on Feb. 7, 2023. PA

Part of the statement read: “Sadly, it is clear from speaking to Paul and the family that Nicola had in the past suffered with some significant issues with alcohol which were brought on by her ongoing struggles with the menopause and that these struggles had resurfaced over recent months. This caused some real challenges for Paul and the family.”

However, the decision to reveal intimate details of the struggles Bulley was facing brought widespread criticism.

‘Dreadful Error’

On Feb. 17, Britain’s Information Commissioner, John Edwards, asked Lancashire Police to clarify why they revealed to the public issues Nicola Bulley faced with alcohol and menopause.

In his statement, Commissioner Edwards said: “Police can disclose information to protect the public and investigate crime, but they would need to be able to demonstrate such disclosure was necessary.”

Edwards said he recognised that police had to focus all of their energies on the investigation, but stated: “Given the high-profile nature of this case, we will be asking Lancashire Police to set out how they reached the decision to disclose this information in due course.”

The police were also criticised by former Victims’ Commissioner, Dame Vera Baird, who said the disclosure was a “dreadful error.”

Baird, who stepped down as Victims’ Commissioner last year, claimed the decision to reveal so much private information about Bulley was “sexist,” and she questioned whether such details would have been released if the missing person was a man.

‘False Information’

However, Bulley’s family issued a statement in which they said they had been made aware beforehand that Lancashire Police was going to release those personal details.

They said: “Although we know that Nikki would not have wanted this, there are people out there speculating and threatening to sell stories about her. This is appalling and needs to stop.”

The statement went on to say: “Due to the perimenopause Nikki suffered with significant side effects such as brain fog, restless sleep and was taking HRT to help but this was giving her intense headaches which caused Nikki to stop taking the HRT thinking that may have helped her but only ended up causing this crisis.”

Perimenopause—the transition period leading up to the menopause—can cause symptoms such as hot flashes, forgetfulness, brain fog, fatigue, skin changes, insomnia, and cramping.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) drugs are often prescribed, but these can have their own side effects.

Lancashire Police have said all along that they believe Bulley “went into the river” and was not a victim of foul play, but their failure to find a body has fuelled other theories on social media.

On Feb. 15, Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith, who is leading the hunt for Bulley, said: “It’s … really obvious that we are being inundated with false information, accusations, and rumours, which is distracting us from our work.”

Lancashire Police also revealed that there had been police contact with Nicola Bulley on Jan. 10 following “concern for welfare.”

The Independent Office for Police Conduct has said it is assessing the information to determine whether an investigation is necessary over the contact officers had with Bulley.

Chris Summers and PA Media contributed to this report.