Police divers spotted returning to river where Nicola Bulley was found

Officers have been spotted revisiting the River Wyre as part of the ongoing Nicola Bulley investigation.

Specialist officers are conducting the investigation in an attempt to confirm the 45-year-old mum-of-two’s cause of death. The team have been seen entering the water less than a mile away from where she was last sighted in the area of St Michael’s on Wyre.

The HM Coroner confirmed that they requested help from Lancashire Police to help determine information surrounding Ms Bulley’s death. It is understood officers were at the scene earlier in April.

The mortgage advisor went missing while out walking her dog Willow on January 27th. Her partner Paul Ansell alerted police after she did not arrive home, which led to a wide-reaching search.

Her pet springer spaniel was found shortly after she disappeared, along with her phone, which was left on a bench by the riverbank still connected to a work conference call.

Ms Bulley’s body was tragically discovered by dog walkers 23 days later, on February 19th, in the river about a mile away from where she was last seen.

Senior Coroner Dr James Adeley for Lancashire has asked police to return to the river to confirm Ms Bulley’s cause of death.

A spokesman for HM Coroner said: “The investigation will take time to complete to ensure that as complete a picture as possible of the facts concerning Ms Bulley’s death is presented at the inquest. This will assist the family in understanding what occurred.”

A police spokesman told the Lancashire Post: “We can confirm this is us carrying out some work at the direction of HM Coroner.” 

An inquest into Ms Bulley’s death was opened and adjourned in February, ahead of a full hearing to be held on June 26th at County Hall in Preston. Her disappearance attracted widespread attention as speculators gathered online to share their own theories.

Police said the actions of the public online had caused them ‘significant distractions’ during their ongoing search to find her. 

The conduct of Lancashire Police and sections of the media covering the case were also later criticised.

Furthermore, broadcasting regulator Ofcom said it was ‘extremely concerned’ to hear Ms Bulley’s family’s complaints of their treatment by the media while officers were still searching for their loved one.

A full independent review has been commissioned into Lancashire Police’s handling of Nicola Bulley’s disappearance with the College of Policing overseeing the investigation.