Nicola Bulley: Police helicopter spotted hovering over river where mum-of-two vanished as search enters fourth week

A POLICE helicopter was yesterday spotted hovering over the River Wyre as the search for Nicola Bulley continues.

The chopper hung in the air west of St Michael's, Lancashire, near where the mum-of-two vanished on January 27.

Witnesses saw the blue and yellow aircraft on Saturday afternoon near Shard Bridge, in Hambleton, around seven miles from where Nicola was last seen.

The River Wyre widens at this point before weaving its way to Morecambe Bay and out to the Irish Sea.

The Sun has approached Lancashire Police for comment.

Today's sighting comes as the search for the 45-year-old enters its fourth week.

Police looking for the mortgage advisor are still working on their main hypothesis that she fell in the river.

Nicola, from nearby Inskip, was last seen walking dog Willow along the River Wyre's banks at around 9.10am on January 27.

It comes after the former Met Police head of standards claimed the mum-of-two's disappearance may never be solved.

When asked by  if police may need to accept Nicola may never be found, Stephen Roberts said: "Absolutely that's the case."

He added: "We can think back over decades to missing persons cases where the person who disappeared was never found.

"Sometimes that is so. Sometimes there simply isn't any evidence, any physical evidence, any human evidence of what has happened to an individual.

"Sometimes, tragically, we and families are left with that mystery that is never solved."

On Friday Lancashire Police revealed they will conduct an internal review into their handling of Nicola's case, which politicians have branded  "deeply troubling".

The force have faced growing scrutiny since revealing Nicola had "significant issues with alcohol" as a result of menopause.

It was also revealed officers had been called to the family's home after "a report of concern for welfare"; on January 10.

These factors, partly identified by her partner Paul Ansell, meant she was classified as a high-risk missing person with several "vulnerabilities".

However, a pal of Nicola's insisted there were "no red flags" in the run up to her disappearance.

The disclosure of Nicola's "vulnerabilities" sparked fury amongst politicians and officials.

Labour's Stella Creasy, MP for Walthamstow, blasted Lancashire Police's decision to release the personal details.

She slammed: "The decision to disclose this level of detail on a missing person's private life, with no evidence that this is assisting in finding her, is deeply troubling."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed the review, saying he was "glad" it was being carried out.

Former cops also slammed "toxic" social media sleuths for involving themselves in the case.