Nicola Bulley’s family are ‘incredibly heartbroken’ after body was pulled from river

The ‘heartbroken’ family of Nicola Bulley have spoken out after a body was found less than a mile from where she went missing.

Officers who spent 23 days searching for missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley retrieved a body from the River Wyre earlier today after a tip-off from dog walkers.

Sky News correspondent Inzamam Rashid said he had been in touch with Ms Bulley’s relatives via text.

He said: ‘They are incredibly heartbroken by this significant development from Lancashire Police.’

Ms Bulley’s family are now facing an ‘agonising wait’ for news tonight following the discovery. Local councillor Michael Vincent said: ‘I have made contact with the family, but it would be inappropriate to comment further.

Nicola Bulley’s partner Paul Ansell (pictured together), 44, clung to hope she is still alive despite officers saying their main working hypothesis was that Ms Bulley is in the river

‘All I can say is that they face an agonising wait. It is difficult to know what they are going through right now.

‘I just hope whatever comes of this – whether it is confirmation or not – that it brings them some peace.

‘The not knowing is causing them a lot of pain right now.’

Senior Investigating Officer Rebecca Smith was today seen arriving at the scene as her force confirmed the discovery.

A police spokesman said officers were called to reports of a body in the river close to Rawcliffe Road at around 11.35am on Sunday.

‘An underwater search team and specialist officers have subsequently attended the scene, entered the water and have sadly recovered a body,’ a statement said.

‘No formal identification has yet been carried out, so we are unable to say whether this is Nicola Bulley at this time.

‘Procedures to identify the body are ongoing. We are currently treating the death as unexplained.

‘Nicola’s family have been informed of developments and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult of times. We ask that their privacy is respected.’

Police officers and divers were pictured at the scene on Sunday afternoon

Nicola Bulley, 45, vanished while walking her dog in St Michael’s in Wyre, Lancashire, on January 27. Her family was described as ‘incredibly heartbroken’ after the discovery of a body today

A man and a woman walking their dog discovered the body and called police, it is understood.

The body was found on an unremarkable stretch of the river, just past a slight bend, a mile or so outside the village, close to where a tree had fallen on its side half in and half outside the water, with branches and undergrowth partially submerged.

Police had earlier erected a tent and cordoned off the lane while police divers were called in, but the road was reopened around three hours later once the body was recovered by officers.

The area attracted press interest and members of the public including one woman who told reporters she was a clairvoyant and had ‘picked up’ an area of the river on Saturday night.

The police diving team could be seen conducting the search while a police drone and helicopter flew above.

The investigation into Ms Bulley’s disappearance has attracted widespread speculation as well as criticism of the police response.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman described developments in the case of Nicola Bulley as ‘heart-breaking and distressing’ after a body was found in the River Wyre.

She tweeted: ‘These are heart-breaking and distressing developments. My thoughts remain with Nicola’s family at this extremely difficult time.’

Around a dozen vehicles remain at the scene where police located a body

A police officer walks along a road near to the scene where a body was found

A police diving team at the River Wyre near St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on Sunday as police continue their search for missing woman Nicola Bulley, 45

The 45-year-old mortgage adviser Nicola Bulley (pictured) vanished during a dog walk in St Michael’s on Wyre

Yellow ribbons and daffodils adorn the footbridge over the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre this evening following the discovery of a body

The sun sets this evening over the bench near St.Michael on Wyre, Lancashire, where Nicola Bulley’s phone was found after her disappearance

The bench has been a focal point for much of the investigation into Nicola Bulley’s disappearance

Tributes were left by members of the public close to the spot where a body was found today

A member of the public today appears to point towards a spot in the undergrowth by the river Wyre while police watch on

At least three police cars and a van rushed to the scene, with other cars soon following

Police erected a tent (left) at the scene shortly before they confirmed the discovery of a body

Before the discovery was confirmed, a witness said: ‘I drove down Rawcliffe Road for almost a mile. I noticed a man and a woman and two police officers on the embankment.

‘I pulled off at about 11.50am and I heard the man talking to police about something in the undergrowth.

‘Police cars were flying down the road with the blues and twos going. A police officer pulled up a few minutes later and got his drone out.

‘Five minutes later the police helicopter arrived. Officers then asked to me get out so I moved 200 yards down the road.

‘I could still clearly see the man pointing at the riverbank. Then more police cars raced down with the blues and twos going. They cleared the entire road.’

The man and woman were later seen sat on a wall by the scene looking ashen faced and vaping.

The 45-year-old mother-of-two was last seen on January 27 while walking her dog by the river in St Michael’s-on-Wyre after dropping her daughters – aged six and nine – at school.

A massive police presence descended on the village three weeks ago with dozens of officers, divers, search experts and high-tech equipment including drones.

Specialist searchers including Peter Faulding, who scoured the river using sonar equipment, also spent days in the area.

Mr Faulding took the unusual move of publicly stating he did not believe Ms Bulley was in the river, as it was so shallow she could simply have ‘stood up’ if she fell in.

After the news of Sunday’s discovery, Mr Faulding tweeted: ‘Our thoughts are with Nicola’s family and friends at this difficult time.’

Police officers were seen pointing towards the river from a vantage point next to a CSI van

Multiple police cars were pictured at the scene as the helicopter flew overhead

Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith, the senior investigating officer in Ms Bulley’s case, arrives at the scene of the search

Lancashire Police issued the update on its Facebook page and requested Ms Bulley’s family’s privacy be respected

Her partner Paul Ansell, 44, has maintained hope she is still alive despite officers saying their main working hypothesis was that Ms Bulley is in the river.

Ms Bulley vanished after dropping off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school on January 27 in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.

She was last seen at 9.10am taking her usual route with her springer spaniel Willow, alongside the River Wyre, shortly after dropping her girls, aged nine and six, off at school. 

Her phone, still connected to a work call, was found just over 20 minutes later on a bench overlooking the riverbank, with her dog running loose.

Speaking about the new search, former Scotland Yard Detective Peter Bleksley told Sky News: ‘If ever there’s a sign of information that is received by the police… then seeing lots of resources deployed in a fairly short space of time is not uncommon.’

A police helicopter is reported to have circled overhead for around 25 minutes

Diving and search specialists discuss the situation with one another from the side of the bank

Four members of the police appeared to be involved in a search of the River Wyre on Sunday

A Lancashire officer observes the ground near to the spot the two walkers pointed police to

A police helicopter was pictured over St Michael’s on Wyre for the first time in days

Nicola Bulley, 45, from Inskip, Lancashire, was last seen on the morning of Friday January 27, when she was spotted walking her dog on a footpath by the River Wyre off Garstang Road in St Michael’s on Wrye

Nicola Bulley’s sister shared a heartbreaking message on Friday, appealing for Ms Bulley to ‘come home now’

A police helicopter hovers over the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire today as police continue their search for missing woman Nicola Bulley

Underwater search expert Peter Faulding scans the River Wyre using sonar equipment earlier this month

The last time Nicola Bulley was caught on CCTV she was accompanied by Willow on the morning of her disappearance

On February 3, Lancashire Police told the public of its main hypothesis that Ms Bulley had fallen into the River Wyre in a ’10-minute window’ between 9.10am and 9.20am on the day she disappeared. 

But multiple experts and Ms Bulley’s own family said they did not believe this to be true. 

This week they held a second press conference in which they referenced individual ‘vulnerabilities’ that meant she had immediately been classed as a ‘high-risk’ missing persons case.

But hours later they issued a shock statement detailing Ms Bulley’s struggles with alcohol, brought on by significant symptoms of being peri-menopausal and having stopped taking her HRT medication. 

Ms Bulley’s family said in a statement on Friday that they feared her decision to stop taking her hormone replacement therapy (HRT) drugs may have played a factor in her disappearance.

‘Due to the perimenopause Nikki suffered with significant side effects such as brain fog, restless sleep and was taking HRT to help but this was giving her intense headaches which caused Nikki to stop taking the HRT thinking that may have helped her but only ended up causing this crisis,’ the statement said.

They added: ‘Nikki is such a wonderful daughter, sister, partner and mother and is missed dearly – we all need you back in our lives.

‘Nikki, we hope you are reading this and know that we love you so much and your girls want a cuddle. We all need you home.’

Today’s news came after it was revealed overnight one of the UK’s top detectives was personally advising Lancashire Police on the case. 

The unnamed detective from the NCA, often referred to as Britain’s FBI, has worked on some of the UK’s most high-profile cases including killer and morgue monster David Fuller and the murder of PCSO Julia James, the organisation told MailOnline. 

The police have so far failed to find Ms Bulley, 45, after she vanished without a trace while walking her springer spaniel, named Willow, more than three weeks ago.

Lancashire Police have also received the aid of a forensic psychologist and dog behavioural expert.

It comes amid fierce criticism of police for releasing personal health details about Ms Bulley this week, including from Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt and PM Rishi Sunak.

Criticism of the force has been mounting since the 45-year-old’s disappearance on January 27.

Police officers have been combing the area for more than three weeks for the missing mother

Officers spent hours trawling the river, riverbanks and fields nearby

Police search teams on the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire on February 5

Ms Bulley’s phone was found on this bench in St Michael’s on Wyre, with Willow’s harness on the floor nearby 

Specialist Group International, led by Peter Faulding, search a stretch of the River Wyre where Nicola Pulley went missing at St Michael’s on Wyre

Lancashire Police have launched a probe into their investigation, which appears to have stalled, but have raised questions by not taking up offers from other forces such as the Metropolitan Police to conduct the review instead.

This week police publicly divulged information about Nicola Bulley’s battles with alcohol brought on by the menopause – a decision critics blasted as ‘sexist’.

Former police officers have also questioned why basic actions such as closing off the area where Ms Bulley’s phone and dog were discovered for forensic examination were not completed.

The force has confirmed a date has been set for the internal review, which will be conducted by their Head of Crime, Detective Chief Superintendent Pauline Stables – but that date has not been made public.

On Friday Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley offered to conduct a review on behalf of the force, but Lancashire Police were criticised after deciding to do it themselves.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has also received a referral from the force regarding the contact officers had with Ms Bulley on January 10 – before she went missing.

Meanwhile PM Rishi Sunak, speaking about the release of personal details after Lancashire Police announced it will conduct an internal review, said he is ‘pleased police are looking at how that happened in the investigation’.