04 February 2023 , 12:44
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A close friend of missing mum Nicola Bulley has questioned the police theory over her disappearance.
Detectives believe Nicola may have fallen into the River Wyre in Lancashire while walking her dog Willow - possibly because she was fetching her pet's ball.
But close pal Emma White said this is wouldn't have been the case - as her friend had stopped taking her pet's ball on walks.
She claimed the theory was based on "limited information" - hours after Nicola's sister also said there was "no evidence" she had fallen in the river.
The search for Nicola is now in its ninth day, with members of the public urged to keep an out for her clothes.
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Emma told SkyNews : "Willow used to love a tennis ball very much but it used to disturb their walks so they haven’t had a tennis ball since way into last year.
Nicola hasn't been seen since she disappeared on January 27 (Lancashire Constabulary / SWNS.C)"Obviously she loved the tennis ball so she’d always be by you, pestering you for the ball - but it wasn’t a nice walk when the dog’s pestering - so there was definitely no ball."
Police said they believe no third party was involved, describing Nicola's disappearance as a "not suspicious but a tragic case of a missing person".
The dog was later found running around alone, with her harness and lead on the floor, while Nicola's phone was on a bench still connected to a work conference call.
Supt Sally Riley, who is heading the search, said: "Our main working hypothesis is that Nicola has suddenly fallen into the river, that there's no third party or criminal involvement, and that this is not suspicious but a tragic case of a missing person.
Emma White, a friend of Nicola Bulley, has questioned a police theory (Sky News)"This is particularly important because speculation otherwise can be really distressing for the family and for Nicola's children."
Ms Riley continued: "I don't wish to speculate, in that we don't know, but it is possible as the dog was loose and off the lead.
"There may have been an issue with the dog that led her to the water's edge, she puts her phone down to go and deal with the dog momentarily, and Nicola may have fallen in.
"We assume the dog didn't get into the river, but we don't know why Nicola may have if she did."
Ms Riley told the MailOnline after the press conference: "I'm not aware of a dog ball being retrieved but it's possible that a ball could have rolled down the steep bank close to the edge of the water and Ms Bulley was bending down to pick it up."
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Police at the scene of Nicola's disappearance earlier today (PA)Nicola's sister 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.
Ms Cunningham wrote last night: "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."