Nicola Bulley cops call in specialist divers with sonar today ‘after initially declining their help’

COPS have called in a specialist team of divers who have specialist sonar equipment to help search the river near where Nicola Bulley vanished.

The dog walker, 45, disappeared after dropping her children off at school in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on Friday January 27.

Since then there has been no trace of the mum-of-two, leaving her family in agony.

Cops this week revealed their “main working hypothesis” was that Nicola had “sadly fallen” into the icy River Wyre.

And now a private specialist diving group revealed they are on the way to search the water.

Specialist Group International (SGI) offered to help Lancashire Police days ago but the force refused, they claim.

Now, cops announced the group WILL help in the hunt for Nicola.

A post on SGI’s Facebook page read: “I have just had a long call with the Lancashire Police search adviser to discuss the search for Nicola. 

“We will work closely with the police search teams who are working long hours to find Nicola.

“The team are leaving shortly from our base in Dorking on route to Lancashire to start tomorrow morning.”

The team will be using a high-spec sonar “which can see every stick and stone lying on the riverbed”.

CGI boss Mr Faulding said the company’s £55,000 side-scan sonar has a high frequency of 1,800 kilohertz – meaning it will be able to examine every area.

Earlier this week, SGI claimed they contacted the police and offered to help, but their offer was denied.

SGI blasted at the time: “Unfortunately, Lancashire police have responded via the family declining my offer saying they will continue with their own river searches using their current resources.”

But in a statement last night, Lancashire Police announced a U-turn.

The force said: “SGI have reached out to the family and offered to assist in the search for Nicola. Lancashire Police have already liaised with them.

“They will deploy under the direction of Lancashire Police and will join an already large, multi-agency search operation involving a wide variety of search assets and resources.

“Their capability will overlay what has already been, and continues to be completed, in order to give extra search coverage along what is an extremely challenging environment to search.”

Yesterday, Mr Faulding branded the Nicola probe “a mess” as crucial evidence may have been missed.

He also slammed the cops for not closing off the area where Nicola vanished, saying they were too quick to assume there were no suspicious circumstances.

It comes after the first CCTV images of missing mum Nicola Bulley on the day she vanished were released.

Snaps from Nicola’s own Ring Doorbell show her loading her car outside her home just hours before she went missing on a riverside walk.

She is seen on security footage wearing a long dark coat, leggings and ankle boots with her hair tied in a ponytail.

She then hops into her Mercedes 4×4 before taking off on the school run to drop off her two daughters.

A friend of Nicola released the CCTV footage in a bid to find her.

It comes as another friend begged the public to keep their minds open about the cause of her disappearance.

Leanne Grace wrote on Facebook: “I’m about to watch the sunset on another day. 

“The hours are passing so slowly yet have somehow turned to days and now over week. Every day is getting harder for your friends and family and our hearts break a little more. 

“Trying to carry on with everyday life just doesn’t feel right.

“We will not give up on you Nicola. Please keep searching everyone.

“Despite the police hypothesis that Nicola may have fallen into the water, please be aware that there is no evidence to back this up. 

“There are still other avenues that have not yet been explored.

“If anyone has any information please contact the police immediately, no matter how small or insignificant you may think it is.

“Nikki has to be out there. Please help to get her home to her family. We love you Nik.”

On the day she went missing the mum-of-two was wearing an ankle-length black quilted gilet jacket, a black Engelbert Strauss waist-length coat which was worn underneath the gilet, tight-fitting black jeans, long green walking socks tucked into her jeans, ankle-length green Next wellies, a necklace and a pale blue Fitbit.