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‘TRAGEDY TOURISTS’
Nicola Bulley ‘sleuths’ are STILL haunting our village a year on…TikTokers hide in bushes – we’re dreading upcoming date
'Ghouls' were slammed for taking sick selfies around the time Nicola disappeared
FUMING residents living where Nicola Bulley disappeared have slammed TikTok "sleuths" who still haunt the village a year after she died.
Fuming residents have even said some "ghouls" come to stare at the mum-of-two's grave and the spot where her body was found.
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The 45-year-old drowned after she fell into a river after walking her dog along a towpath in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire.
A three-week hunt for the missing mum gripped the nation which sparked conspiracy theories and a legion of TikTok sleuths who descended on the village.
At one point, cops forced to issue a dispersal notice to keep the public away after armchair detectives flooded the village.
And villagers have blasted these said conspiracy theorists and TikTok "ghouls" who still come to the quiet village.
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One dog walker, who did not want to give his name, said: "It's morbid.
"You see all these tragedy tourists who even come to stare at her grave in the church yard.
"And then we still have these TikTok nutters who you seen in the bushes with their cameras or by the river.
"We just wish they'd leave us alone but they still believe these mad conspiracy theories."
He added: "It was great at the time that so many people came as we thought they would help finding Nicola.
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"But it just came too much. It's all so sad but hard to believe this quiet village was the centre of such a media storm."
On Sunday February 20, 2023 police searching for Nicola confirmed a body had been found less than a mile from where she was last seen.
Nicola Bulley's terrifying final moments recreated by cop in river
A pensioner, out walking his dog by the river, said: "We're dreading the anniversary of them finding her body.
"Lots of people will turn up with their mad theories.
"It has died down a bit but these ghouls just crawl out of the holes again."
Nicola's disappearance after her mobile was found on a bench still connected to a work conference call.
Nicola's pet springer spaniel Willow was also found — but there was still no trace of the mum-of-two.
The 5ft 3in mortgage advisor was last spotted walking along a river path with her dog.
Nicola's phone and dog's lead were found on a bench and her dog was also found safe and well - sparking a massive missing person hunt.
Searches of the river and sea proved fruitless and then wild theories about her disappearance spread like wildfire.
Her family and friends spoke of their frustration after amateur sleuths joined in the hunt.
One TikTok sleuth sparked fury in the village after he was spotted digging up woodland.
While another influencer was arrested and charged with a public order offence after a confrontation with a local.
Pensioner Joyce Brown, 72, said: "It was a terrible tragedy. I feel so sorry for her children and family.
"This was such a quiet place to live. It was such an awful time."
'GHOULS'
Back in February 2023, a YouTube sleuth searching for Nicola was slammed for ignoring warnings from cops.
Danny, who describes himself as a "paranormal investigator", joined the frantic hunt for the mum-of-two.
The content creator, who goes by Exploring with Danny on social media, shared several videos of his late-night "investigation" walks with his dog Molly and pal Felicity.
The trio were seen scouring derelict buildings close to where Nicola was last seen
And a local parish chairman slammed "ghouls" who travelled miles to take sick selfies at the bench where Nicola's phone was found.
Visitors have reportedly travelled miles from as far afield as Lancaster and Manchester to watch the search in action.
And people have reportedly been taking disrespectful selfies at the bench where Nicola's phone was found.
It led the area's parish council chairman to blast the disrespectful behaviour and remind visitors the search for Ms Bulley was not a "spectator sport".
The mum-of-two had to be identified through her dental records after the sad discovery was made.
An inquest into her death started on June 26, 2023 — almost five months to the day after Nicola vanished.
It revealed she died from drowning and was alive when she entered the water.
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Home Office pathologist Dr Alison Armour said the internal examination found “classic signs” of asphyxia, which happens when the body is deprived of oxygen, but there was no sign of trauma to Nicola's neck.
Dr Armour confirmed Nicola had not been drinking before her death.
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Timeline of Nicola Bulley's Disappearance
A look at Nicola's movements on the morning of her disappearance
8.26am - Nicola leaves her home address with her children
8.40am - The mum drops the children off at school and has a brief conversation with another parent.
8.43am - Nicola walked along the path by the River Wyre towards the gate/bench into the lower field, having dropped her children off at school
8:47am (approximately) - A dog-walker – somebody who knows Nicola – saw her walking around the lower field with her dog. Their two dogs interacted briefly before the witness left the field via the river path
8.53am - She sent an email to her boss
8.59 am - Nicola sent message to a friend
9.01am - She logged into a Teams call
9.10am (approximately) - A witness - somebody who knows Nicola - saw her on the upper field walking her dog, Willow
9.20am - Her phone was back in the area of the bench
9.30am - The Teams call ended but Nicola stayed logged on
9.33am (approximately) - Nicola’s mobile phone and Willow were found at a bench by the river by another dog-walker
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