Nicola Bulley’s friends and family are desperately seeking answers (Picture: Getty/PA)

The father of missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley said he struggles to ‘hold it together’ when he looks at his devastated grandchildren.

Ernest Bulley, 73, broke down telling how the girls, aged six and nine, are constantly asking questions about their mother.

‘When I look at the kids, I have to go out of the room because I can’t hold it together,’ he told The Mirror. ‘They are asking where Mummy is and, when is Mummy coming home? It’s so hard.’

Nicola’s partner Paul Ansell, 44, had to explain the situation to their children at the weekend.

‘He just said: “Mummy’s lost,”’ their grandma Dorothy told the Sun. Paul’s dad David added: ‘They cried their eyes out.’

Ms Bulley, 45, was last seen on Friday morning at around 9.20am while walking her dog and dialled into a business call alongside the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.

The mortgage advisor had just dropped off her daughters, aged six and nine, at the local school in the village.

The mortgage advisor had just dropped off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school (Picture: PA)

Her dog Willow, a springer spaniel, was spotted running loose (Picture: Facebook)

Her phone was found, apparently still engaged on a work call, on a park bench nearby, along with the harness and lead for her dog, Willow, a springer spaniel.

The dog running loose alerted a member of the public and police were called, but despite a huge search, no trace of Ms Bulley has been found.

A local told the MailOnline the woman who found Willow described how she was ‘bone dry and so hadn’t been in the water’ but was ‘in an agitated state’.

Another speculated whether she could have slipped down a river bank into the water, adding: ‘You just don’t know do you but I do know that she would have never ever left those children voluntarily.’

But Mr Bulley said there has been no sign of her falling in, and she was in good spirits during their last conversation.

Police search teams at the River Wyre (Picture: Getty)

A poster seeking information in the search (Picture: Getty)

He added: ‘I asked the sergeant from Fleetwood a few days ago, “Is there any chance of her being taken?” and she said, “I don’t think that’s the case”.

‘I said, “How can you know that?” It’s such an isolated area, the only way that has happened is if it was someone who knew her.’

A major search involving a police helicopter, drones, sniffer dogs and specialist divers and equipment has been ongoing for days around the River Wyre.

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In a statement, Nicola’s family said yesterday: ‘We have been overwhelmed by the support from our community and would like to thank everyone for their ongoing efforts to help us find Nicola.

‘The girls are desperate to have their mummy back home safe with them and your ongoing efforts have provided comfort to them whilst we await news on Nicola.

‘We ask for anyone who thinks they may have any information that may help the police find Nicola to please come forward and help them with their inquiries.’

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Ernest Bulley, 73, broke down telling how the girls, aged six and nine, are constantly asking questions about their mother.