Woman, 45, vanishes while walking her dog
A major search has begun for 45-year-old Nicola Bulley who vanished whilst walking her dog.
She was last seen on Friday 27 January around 9.15 am on a footpath by the River Wyre off Garstang Road in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre.
Emergency crews including Lancashire Police, Lancashire Fire and Rescue, Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue team and the North West Underwater Search Team have joined the search.
Police dive teams, fire service drones, search dogs, helicopters and mountain rescue volunteers have been sent to the area.
Nicola Bulley’s dog – a brown Spaniel – has been found close to where she was last seen, Lancashire Police confirmed.
Police are hoping this might help jog the memory of anyone who saw her at around the same time and who may have information relating to her whereabouts.
Nicola Bulley has been described as white, 5ft 3ins tall, with light brown shoulder-length hair and she speaks with an Essex accent.
She was last seen wearing a long black gilet jacket with a hood, black jeans and olive green ankle wellies. Her hair was tied into a ponytail.
She has links to Inskip and St Michael’s on Wyre, as well as links to Thornton Cleveleys.
Police say they are “extremely concerned” about her and have asked anyone with information about where she may be to get in touch.
Cops say they are keeping an open mind as to her whereabouts and detectives investigating the circumstances around her disappearance are following a number of lines of enquiry.
Chief Inspector Chris Barton said: “Nicola has now been missing for two days and we are extremely concerned about her.
“Firstly, if anybody saw her on Friday morning and has not yet been spoken to by police, or if anybody has any other information about where she might be, please get in touch with us straight away.
“Enquiries are very much ongoing and we have a team of detectives working tirelessly to establish the circumstances around her disappearance, in addition to a large team of police officers, partner agency and volunteer groups on the ground searching the area around where she was last seen.”
Cops are aware of a large number of people in the local community have organised a search of the area and urged them to stay safe, noting the River Wyre and its banks can be extremely dangerous.
