Nicola Bulley police investigating THREE possible scenarios – including whether missing mum ‘left voluntarily’

POLICE investigating the disappearance of Nicola Bulley today said they are working on three main hypotheses.

On the 20th day of the search for the missing mum-of-two, officers in Lancashire provided an update on the case at a press conference just before midday.

Nicola vanished while walking her springer spaniel Willow after she dropped her two daughters - aged six and nine - at school on January 27.

Cops insist that their "main line of inquiry" remains that the mortgage adviser fell in the River Wyre in St Michael's during a short window at around 9.10am that day.

But Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith revealed the force remains "open-minded" and are also considering that a third party may be involved and that she could have left the area voluntarily.

She did, however, add: "There is not a single piece of information or evidence to suggest there is any third-party involvement or that Nicola has left those fields."

Assistant Chief Constable Peter Lawson also said there is "no evidence any crime has been committed".

Outlining the mammoth search for Nicola, it was confirmed she was treated as a high-risk missing person when she disappeared, which is "normal".

More than 300 premises have so far been searched and police have received some 1,500 pieces of related information.