KEY CLUE
Nicola Bulley cops ARE hunting shabby red van – I saw suspicious vehicle close to where she vanished, says key witness
THE search for Nicola Bulley moved to the sea yesterday amid the possibility she was swept 20 miles downriver.
Officers scoured Morecambe Bay as it emerged she was last spotted nearly two hours before police were called.
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Police are probing reports of a “shabby and suspicious” red van near where Nicola Bulley disappeared.
The vehicle was spotted close to the mum’s walking route on the morning she went missing.
It was seen parked in a lane — a few hundred yards from the school where Nicola, 45, had dropped off her young children.
A man in his 50s described the van as a high-sided Renault or Transit in a faded red.
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The witness said: “It was a shabby looking van, an older model, the kind you can live or work in.
“It was on a quiet lane near a barn, with a couple of houses dotted around.
“Obviously, I don’t know whether this van is related to Nicola’s disappearance. All I know is that something grabbed my attention. I felt compelled to tell police about it.
“Even though it was down the road, as the crow flies it’s quite close to where Nicola was last seen.”
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The Sun understands a second witness also contacted police to report seeing the van in the area.
Nicola disappeared while walking her dog beside the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancs.
The van witness — who lives locally and had been travelling to a cake shop — coincidentally works in search and rescue but in the south of England.
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He said: “I saw a red van parked along Hall Lane at around 9.40am. It looked suspicious but in that moment it didn’t mean anything.”
The man, who asked not to be named, called cops three days later after the timetable of events surrounding Nicola’s disappearance was revealed.
He added: “After a good think the red van really stood out, I thought it might be significant.
“Initially I called 101 but I wasn’t overly impressed with the operator. I followed up with the police and spoke to an officer who took all the details down and said my call was being logged.
“I’ve spoken to the police a couple of times now. They called me on Wednesday to follow up.
“They thanked me and asked if I had any dashcam footage and told me they were taking my information seriously.
“The call really allayed my fears that my sighting wouldn’t be considered properly, they are obviously following up on everything.”
Lancashire Police said they had no comment to make regarding the suspicious red van.
Detectives are continuing to work on the theory that Nicola fell into the Wyre in a “tragic accident”.
And yesterday they were investigating the “possibility” that she had been carried downstream by the tide towards the Irish Sea.
Two boats with specialist police teams were seen searching the water and shoreline at Morecambe Bay and Knotts End.
Cops have confirmed they first received a call about Nicola’s disappearance at 11am. The last confirmed sighting of the mortgage adviser was 9.10am.
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This timeframe leaves a larger window for Nicola to have vanished before police search teams began to look for her.
Yesterday, it emerged Nicola had said the spot where she vanished was her favourite place to walk.
She had written on social media how she loved the location for early morning strolls. Along with photos of herself and spaniel Willow on the walk she wrote on September 2: “Schools back! After balancing work and the summer holidays it’s good to be back to our routine!
“Our favourite early morning walk, Willow is happy! Then busy day ahead! I love walking along there, two gorgeous swans were present yesterday.”
On Wednesday, a specialist underwater search team looking for Nicola in the River Wyre pulled out of the operation.
They said they believe “categorically” that she is not in the section of the river where police believe she fell in.
Peter Faulding, a forensic search expert and chief exec of Specialist Group International, said he is “baffled” by the case.
Nicola’s phone was found on a bench overlooking the Wyre and her dog Willow was discovered nearby bone dry.
Search activity around the section of water near to the bench seemed limited yesterday with the focus switching to the tidal part of the Wyre downstream and out into the open sea.
Searchers were seen unloading equipment from vans on the coast.
Police have admitted that not all exit routes from the beauty spot where Nicola disappeared are covered by CCTV cameras.
They have also appealed for dashcam footage from 700 drivers who passed along the route at the time she disappeared.
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Superintendent Sally Riley said it remained a “possibility” that Nicola left the area by one path not covered by cameras.
Nicola’s family and friends have maintained there’s “no evidence whatsoever” that she is in the river.
While the police seem to be sticking to their river fall “hypothesis” they have said they are following all leads.
Nicola’s partner Paul Ansell, 44, visited the field where she vanished on Wednesday.
He spent ten minutes along the riverbank to see how the search operation was going.
Meanwhile, a paranormal investigation team have been branded “depraved” after livestreaming a “probe” into Nicola’s disappearance — in which so-called haunted dolls were asked if she is still alive.
Ghosthunting trio The Real 4S Paranormal posted videos of a live séance across their social media channels on Monday.
They showed a picture of the missing mum alongside dozens of creepy dolls. A member of the team was seen asking the toys “who took this lady, spirit?”, while asking them to show if she is “still alive” by lighting up a spirit box.
Other questions included “Was there more than one person that took her?” and “Can you tell us if she's passed away, spirits?”
Married ghosthunters Lee Steer, 36, and his wife Linzi, 53 said they were disgusted when they saw the other team’s actions.
Linzi, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, said: “I’m sick to my stomach that they would do that.”
A concerned viewer said: “This is so disgusting and disrespectful to her poor family and friends.”
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While another paranormal fan added: “This is very sick.”
The Real 4S Paranormal were contacted for comment.
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