Massive emergency response seen near where Nicola Bulley disappeared as ‘baffled’ dive leader says phone could be decoy
A MASSIVE emergency response was seen close to where Nicola Bulley disappeared last night after the head of a specialist dive squad said the case has left him “baffled”.
Heartbreaking footage shows more than 10 emergency vehicles parked on Shard Bridge – five miles from where the mum-of-two vanished in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.
Video obtained by The Sun Online shows police, coastguard and ambulance workers all in attendance.
However, Lancashire Police later said nothing was found.
Search teams are this morning preparing to join cops for a second day in the search for 45-year-old mortgage advisor Nicola.
Lancashire Police believe Nicola fell into the river while walking her dog.
Specialist Group International (SGI) yesterday scoured “large areas” of water for the mum 10 days after she vanished.
Peter Faulding, founder of SGI, admitted the complicated case has left him “baffled”.
He told TalkTV: “After 25 years of doing this kind of work, after hundreds of cases, I am well and truly baffled.
“Normally you would expect the divers to find them easily.
“When people drown they generally go down where they are.
“We normally find them within five to ten metres of where they went down.”
RIVER SEARCH
He also fears Nicola’s phone could be a decoy – and that he believes there’s a possibility a third party involved.
Peter explained: “The police have nothing to go on.
“All they have is a mobile phone at the moment and they said it could possibly be a decoy.”
SGI has offered their services for free in a bid to give Nicola’s family answers and are using a helicopter to search for her.
They are also using a “top of the market” 18,000khz side scan sonar to search the river.
I can’t put those girls to bed again tonight with no answers.
Paul Ansell, Nicola's partner
Supt Sally Riley claimed there may have been an “issue” with dog Willow that led Nicola to the edge of the water.
Police believed the mum could have walked to the river to retrieve the dog’s tennis ball when she potentially fell in.
But Nicola’s sister Louise Cunningham and friend Emma have rubbished the hypothesis.
The pair explained there was “no evidence” that Nicola, from Inskip, Lancashire, fell in the water while getting Willow’s tennis ball.
Supt Riley also later admitted there was also nothing to show a slip or fall near the bench where Nicola’s phone was found.
‘WE HAVE TO FIND HER’
Yesterday Nicola’s partner issued a heartbreaking voicenote on the tenth day of her disappearance.
Her boyfriend of 12 years, Paul Ansell, told how much her kids are missing her.
In a voicenote he said: “It’s been ten days now since Nicola went missing and I have two little girls who miss their mummy desperately and who need her back.
“This has been such a tough time for the girls especially but also for me and all of Nicola’s family and friends, as well as the wider community and I want to thank them for their love and support.
“We are also really grateful to Peter and his team from SGI for coming up and helping support the work of Lancashire Police as they continue their investigation.
“If anyone has any information which could help find Nicola, I urge them to get in touch with the police and help us provide the answers we all so badly need.”
“We have to find her safe and well. I can’t put those girls to bed again tonight with no answers.”
Anybody with information about where she might be is asked to call 101, quoting log 473 of January 27, or ring 999 for immediate sightings.
