03 February 2023 , 23:00
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Nicola Bulley's sister says there is 'no evidence' the missing woman fell into the river in response to a police theory revealed earlier today.
Louise Cunningham took to Facebook in an appeal for the public not to give up sharing information about Nikki after police said something "could have happened" with her dog that caused her to approach and potentially fall in the river.
Nicola, a 45-year-old mum, had dropped her kids off at school last Friday morning before taking springer spaniel Willow for a walk along a towpath in St Michaels on Wyre.
Superintendent Sally Riley revealed today that the investigators' main hypothesis is that she accidentally fell into the river - but Nicola's sister this evening 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."
Mum appeared 'completely normal' moments before vanishing while walking dog
Louise urged people to keep sharing and searching for NicolaSupt Riley added told reporters in a press conference that officers are "as sure as we can be" that Nicola did not leave the area.
Her phone was found on a bench and the dog was running around nearby without its harness or lead.
The device was still logged into a work group conference call, although with her camera and microphone muted, and the meeting had finished.
Supt Riley added: "At the point where the bench is located there is quite a steep drop to the river, albeit not high, it is steep.
"And therefore whilst I don’t want to speculate as to what may have happened, it is our working hypothesis that she has entered the water accidentally and that’s why there is no physical evidence on the field."
The 45-year-old mum had dropped her kids off at school last Friday morning before taking springer spaniel Willow for a walk along a towpath in St Michaels on Wyre (strava)
Nicola's phone was found on a bench and the dog was running around nearby without its harness or lead (strava)She confirmed the mum can swim, and said due to the different water depths searchers have been both wading in the River Wyre and diving underwater.
The superintendent said after a "thorough" search of the immediate stretch of water, investigators have not found any conclusive evidence.
She went on to say: "The dog was off the lead, this was normal for the dog to run about and Nicola was on a teams call, which again it would be normal for her not to participate in actively and just have the phone to listen in, effectively.
Nicola Bulley's sister says there is 'no evidence' the missing woman fell into the river in response to a police theory revealed earlier today. (Lancashire Constabulary / SWNS.C)"Anything could have happened with the dog whereby Nicola may have gone - and I don’t wish to speculate, we don’t know - but it is possible the dog was loose and off the lead that there may have been an issue with the dog that led her to go near to the water’s edge.
"She puts the phone down momentarily and Nicola may have fallen in. That is a possibility,"
Devastated parents promise to never stop looking for mum-of-two who vanished
She confirmed the dog was dry when found by other walkers.
Police search teams continue looking along the murky waters of the River Wyre in an continued effort to find missing mum-of-two Nicola Bulley (James Maloney/Lancs Live)"We don’t believe the dog was in the river because the dog, we believe, was dry and the witnesses have not described the dog swimming or jumping into the river.
"We don’t know why Nicola may have entered the water if she did," she added.
Meanwhile, the Mail reports that Ms Bulley's family had found the police assessment 'hard to contemplate' but continued to hold onto hope as the search continues.