Police will today hold a press conference on the search for missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley after her family expressed “disappointment” at the investigation.
The briefing will take place at 11.30 am. as speculation about what may have happened to her continued to mount in the 19 days since her disappearance.
The Telegraph will be live streaming the press conference and bringing you all the latest updates.
Mrs Bulley, 45, disappeared while walking in the village of St Michael’s in Wyre, Lancashire, after dropping her two daughters – aged six and nine – at school on January 27.
At a press conference on February 3, the force initially told the public about its “main working case” that the mortgage adviser fell into the river during a “10-minute window” between 9.10am and 9.20am that day.
The force said her disappearance was not being treated as suspicious.
Ms Bulley has not yet been found and detectives expanded their search for her to the sea on February 3, saying finding her there “is more likely”.
On Tuesday, four officers were seen searching the banks of the river in Stanah. Police were also seen trawling the water at Cartford Bridge.
Mrs Bulley’s partner Paul Ansell, 44, is being supported by Peter Faulding, a coroner, who conducted a three-day search on the river.
Among the family’s frustrations is that officers have not answered whether Ms Bulley’s car keys can be tracked via GPS, which is possible for some newer models. Mr Ansell has reportedly contacted Mercedes himself to get answers.
Mr Faulding said: “He is just disappointed. It’s very difficult and they’ve reached him, he just wants answers. He has a lot of questions. He just wants some form of closure I think, one way or another, and he’s bracing himself for any outcome.”
He said Mr Ansell is desperate to widen the inquiry and is “lost” without Ms Bulley.
“Daughters are pieces”
“He’s got no partner, the kids are missing mum, he’s in pieces,” Mr Faulding said. “His daughters are in pieces. He just wants to know where Nicola is.”
He added: “There is a sense that there is just a lack of imagination and willpower,” he said. “I don’t want to be critical of the police, but I’m just giving their thoughts really. Someone at a higher level needs to come out and give a statement to the public to calm them down.”
It was also reported on Tuesday that on February 7, officers were given a blue ski glove that was discovered near where she was last seen.
Footage of the glove, which was said to be stained, was shared on social media site TikTok but has since been deleted.
A local fisherman said Lancashire Police only contacted a group of fishermen on Monday this week to check who was on the River Wyre at the time he went missing.
A 49-year-old man from Manchester and a 20-year-old woman from Oldham have been arrested on suspicion of malicious communications offenses in relation to emails allegedly sent to Wyre councillors.
The man has been bailed pending further inquiries until May 12, while the woman remains in custody.
On Monday, Wyre Council removed councilors’ contact details from its website due to “inappropriate emails and phone calls” about Ms Bulley’s disappearance.
It said it had temporarily removed contact details for “members of the parish and town council” after Lancashire Police confirmed their investigation.
Meanwhile, friends and neighbors of Mrs Bulley, including her neighbor and friend Charlotte Drake, continued to flock to a bridge over the Wyre to put up yellow ribbons with messages saying they still hoped she would be found safe and good.
Assistant Chief Constable Peter Lawson and Senior Constable Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith will lead the conference.