Police searching for missing dog walker Nicola Bulley release image in appeal to potential 'key' witness

4 February 2023, 18:38 | Updated: 4 February 2023, 23:39

Investigators searching for missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley have appealed for a “key witness" who they believe was in the area on the morning of her disappearance.

The witness is a woman seen pushing a pram on the morning of Friday January 27, when Ms Bulley went missing.

“It is believed that the female in question may have walked along the river path during these times and so detectives want to speak to her and urge her to get in touch,” Lancashire police said.

Nicola Bulley vanished over a week ago while walking her dog alongside the river in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire. She was dialled in to a work conference call at the time.

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The female witness pictured was seen walking along Garstang Road / Blackpool Lane in the village of St Michael's, from the direction of Allotment Lane towards the Grapes pub, at around 8.22am.

She's then seen walking on Allotment Lane towards Garstang Road just under 20 minutes later at 8.41am.

It's believed the potential witness could have walked along the river path during these times - with officers urging her to get in contact.

Police have asked anyone who was driving or cycling down Blackpool Lane / Garstang Lane on 27 January between 9am and 10am and has dashcam footage to get in touch.

A spokesperson for the force added that it was crucial to gather as much footage as possible from the area on the morning of Ms Bulley's disappearance to "review every piece meticulously" and establish whether she can be seen.

"We know from the footage we are currently reviewing, that this is a busy road, particularly at that time in the morning," they added.

"There will be many people who were in that area at the time who may not think they can help, however we would urge you not to make that decision yourself and to come forward so we can have as much material as possible to assist the investigation."

Officers believe Ms Bulley fell into the River Wyre while she was walking her dog.

But her friends and family have claimed that there is "no evidence whatsoever" behind the force's theory.

Ms Bulley's friend, Emma White, said that the "police hypothesis is on limited information".

"When we are talking about a life we can't base it on a hypothesis - surely we need this factual evidence," she said.

"That's what the family and all of us are holding on to - that we are sadly no further on than last Friday.

"We still have no evidence, and that's why we're out together in force."

Ms White added to Sky: "You don't base life on a hypothesis."

It came after Louise Cunningham, Nicola's sister, posted on Facebook asking the public not to give up sharing information and called on everyone to "keep an open mind".

Superintendent Sally Riley revealed on Friday that the police's main hypothesis is that she accidentally fell into the River Wyre in Lancashire on Friday morning last week and that "this is not suspicious but a tragic case of a missing person".

But on Friday evening, Nicola's sister said: "Please keep sharing my Nikki …Off the back of the latest Police media update, please can I add there is no evidence whatsoever that she has gone into the river, it’s just a theory.

"Everyone needs to keep an open mind as not all CCTV and leads have been investigated fully, the police confirmed the case is far from over."

Police say they are focusing on a ten-minute window between 9.10am and 9.20am. Officers said an unprecedented amount of work had gone into the search.