Nicola Bulley’s partner Paul Ansell says he believes a local is responsible for her disappearance in TV interview

NICOLA Bulley's partner Paul Ansell says he believes a local is responsible for her disappearance.

The dad-of-two last night spoke in his first sit-down interview - which marked two weeks since Nicola vanished.

Paul opened up to Channel 5's Dan Walker for the exclusive chat, and said he thought someone in the couple's Lancashire town was involved in the mum's disappearance.

He told Dan: "People don't just vanish into thin air. It's absolutely impossible. So something has happened.

"Whatever has happened, in my eyes, has to be somebody who knows the local area.

"You would only know that area, by local, it's a local area."

Paul explained that he and Nicola had been walking the path she disappeared from since they met 12 years ago.

He continued: "You see the same faces every single day, and on the very odd occasion when you see somebody that you know, you don't know.

"They stand out like a sore thumb."

The dad-of-two said he was even more convinced as no trace of Nicola had been found since that horror day two weeks ago.

He said: "The fact that nothing's been seen or heard, I just
truly believe that it's something in the village."

As Paul thought someone local may be involved, he "pleaded" residents of St Michaels on Wyre search every part of their properties.

The dad-of-two said: "I want every house, every garage, every outbuilding, the land, scrutinised.

"I want it all searched, I want it all scrutinised, every piece of it."

He also told Dan Walker that he will "never give up" on finding his partner.

It comes as...

• Heartbroken Paul begs Nicola Bulley to "just come home" in an emotional message
• Cops confirm they are hunting the owner of a red van seen in the area where the mum vanished
• Paul Ansell reveals a major twist over how his partner's phone was found
• The morning Nicola vanished felt "different" to others, says Paul Ansell
• Nicola Bulley's children ask if "mummy is famous" as search continues into 14th day
• Nicola's partner Paul says that he expected to be a suspect in her disappearance

Paul insisted that he is "100 per cent" sure that she did not fall into the river, as police believe.

The dad said: "People don't just vanish into thin air, it's absolutely impossible.

"So something has happened. Something has happened. Find out what it is. Find out what it is. 

"There has to be a way to find out what happened, there has to be.

"You cannot, you cannot walk your dog down a river and just vanish into thin air. Something happened that day, something."

He added that the family are going through "unprecedented hell" but vowed to "never let go".

That's because Nicola would "never give up on anybody", Paul said.

When asked how he's felt throughout the ordeal, Paul said: "Anger, loads of frustration, confusion, disbelief, surrealism, nothing feels real.

"It just doesn’t feel real… I feel like I’m in the Truman show. Like.. I honestly believe I’m going to wake up at any moment…how are we even in this? We are good people."

In the interview, Paul also revealed how he expected to be a suspect in the case.

The dad begged Nicola to "just come home", and also shared the moment "panic" set in on the morning Nicola vanished.

He revealed the moment Nicola's phone was found, too.