13 February 2023 , 08:34
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An ex-detective who helped expose Jimmy Savile’s sick crimes is set to join the search for missing mum of two Nicola Bulley.
Lancashire Police had previously ruled out foul play and believe she likely fell into the River Wyre near a bench where her phone and dog's harness were found.
However, after weeks of trawling up and down the river, they have yet to find her.
Police have since expanded their searches on the coast at Morecambe Bay.
Now Mark Williams-Thomas is set to travel to where she was last seen to assist.
Mum appeared 'completely normal' moments before vanishing while walking dog
He was previously linked to the Savile case as well as helping the investigation into a kidnap suspect connected to Maddie McCann.
Mark Williams-Thomas is joining the search for the missing mum of two (SWNS)He plans to help rule out a number of theories, MailOnline reported.
He said: “I will be spending time up in St Michael's on Wyre next week to pull together a quick turnaround report of what exactly is known about the disappearance of Nicola Bulley.
“I will explore all the options, bring you a factual evidence analysis and dismiss some of the inaccuracies.”
It comes as a leading detective claimed police searching for missing mum have made a number of crucial errors.
Friends of missing mum Nicola Bulley hold placards to aid the search (Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)Former detective chief inspector Simon Harding says the trust from the family and the public is plummeting because of how police have handled the process.
He says by sticking with their "hypothesis" that the dog walker fell in the river, they have harmed the search.
Her partner Paul Ansell said in an interview on Friday night that he '100% knows' she is not in the river.
Mr Harding also wants to know why there was no cordon put in place around where Miss Bulley went missing last month.
The detective went on to question why Lancashire Police didn't instantly recognise her disappearance to be wildly out of character.
Devastated parents promise to never stop looking for mum-of-two who vanished
A young boy ties a yellow ribbon with a message of hope written on it near the River Wyre (PA)Writing in the , Mr Harding said: "It is now crystal clear that those closest to the investigation, her family and close friends, simply do not believe the hypothesis put to them.
He added: "The police settled on a tragic accident and made their thinking public within days, but to say this to the family and media, you must be 100 per cent certain."
He also said the early message put out could be very damaging to the case.
The former top cop continued: "You are inadvertently saying to the public: 'Don’t call us as we don’t want to know about suspicious people, vehicles or events'."