01 February 2023 , 09:14
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A dog walker who has been missing for six days looked "completely normal" just minutes before vanishing, the last person known to have seen her has said.
Nicola Bulley, 45, was last seen walking her brown cocker spaniel Willow after dropping her two daughters off at school on Friday morning.
The mortgage advisor was seen at about 9.20am on a footpath by the River Wyre in the village of St Michael's in Lancashire by a man walking his labrador, it has been reported.
The man's wife said she would regularly see Nicola as she and her husband would walk their dogs on the same stretch of river.
Yesterday, Lancashire Police said they were speaking to the man they believe was one of the last people to see Nicola.
Nicola Bulley's children 'cried their eyes out' after being told 'mummy's lost'
Nicola Bulley was seen at about 9.20am on a footpath by the River Wyre in Lancashire (strava)
A search of the area involving police specialist resources is entering the sixth day (strava)His wife, 57, told The Times how he told her that there was "nothing unusual" about Nicola when he saw her.
The software engineer, who didn't want to be named said: "In the field, there were about three people, including my husband. He said there was nothing unusual about her and she seemed completely normal.
“I’d often see her and say hello. I always thought she looked very nicely dressed, in her bobble hat and smart Wellington boots. It’s just horrible to know she’s missing.”
Lancaster Area Search and Resue out searching the river Wyre in St Michaels (Dave Nelson)The alarm was raised at about 10am when another dog walker found Willow alone.
Police said they found Nicola's mobile phone on a nearby bench overlooking the river, which was still logged into a work call with colleagues.
It was later reported the mum-of-two was muted and had her camera off during the call.
Nicola's partner Paul Ansell reportedly had to tell their children about what had happened, and her mum Dorothy revealed: "He just said 'mummy's lost."
This is the bench where Nicola's mobile phone was found (Paul Greenwood/REX/Shutterstock)The Sun reports that his dad David added: "They cried their eyes out."
Police have said they are keeping an "open mind" about what happened, but do not believe Ms Bulley was attacked.
A search of the area involving police specialist resources, working alongside colleagues from the Coastguard and Bowland Mountain Rescue, is continuing.
Devastated parents promise to never stop looking for mum-of-two who vanished
Nicola is described as white, 5ft 3ins tall, with light brown shoulder-length hair. She speaks with an Essex accent.
Nicola Bulley with her partner Paul Ansell at Centre Parcs in December
Nicola Bulley has been missing since January 27 (strava)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.
Yesterday, Kev Camplin, of Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue, led a team of 25 trained volunteers on the day Nicola vanished and told the Mirror about an abandoned house they found.
He said they scoured a long stretch of the river, including wooded areas, water margins and the grounds of a large unoccupied country house.
Speaking to the Mirror, he said: "The abandoned house is right opposite the bench on the other side of the river, over a 10ft garden wall. It’s quite posh.
A massive search was launched after Nicola was reported missing (Dave Nelson)"We didn’t go into the house, as a volunteer search and rescue team we don’t actually go into buildings. We might go into a barn or something. We leave that to the police.
"While the team was searching the grounds, the owner was there for some reason, and we asked him to go in and he had a quick look around and she wasn’t there."
In a statement, Nicola’s family said: “We have been overwhelmed by the support from our community and would like to thank everyone for their ongoing efforts to help us find Nicola.
“The girls are desperate to have their mummy back home safe with them and your ongoing efforts have provided comfort to them whilst we await news on Nicola.
“We ask for anyone who thinks they may have any information that may help the police find Nicola to please come forward and help them with their enquiries.”
Supt Sally Riley said: “We remain extremely concerned for Nicola and we continue to do everything we can to try and find her and to provide some answers for her family who are obviously beside themselves with worry. I must stress at this time that this remains a missing person inquiry and at this time there is nothing to suggest any third-party involvement in Nicola’s disappearance.
“We appreciate there is also a great deal of concern in the local community, and we appreciate people want to help. However, parts of the riverbank are treacherous, and we would ask that nobody puts themselves in danger and that the police and partner agencies’ efforts to find Nicola are not compromised.
“If anybody has any questions or concerns, they are welcome to speak to officers in the area.”
Anybody who has seen Nicola, or has information about where she might be, is asked to call 101, quoting log 565 of January 30th. For immediate sightings please call 999.