Nicola Bulley: has she been found? What has partner Paul Ansell said after police recover a body

The partner of Nicola Bulley has told of his “agony” after police found a body in the search for the missing mother-of-two.

A road was closed near to the scene where she disappeared earlier. Divers and helicopters were seen in the area.

Lancashire Police have announced that a body has been found but the identity has not been confirmed.

The latest development comes after a tip-off from two dog-walkers, according to reports. Police drones are reported to have been seen in the area.

It comes in a week where Lancashire Police have come under pressure after revealing deeply personal information about the 45-year-old mortgage advisor. The force detailed her struggles with alcohol and menopause, but came under fire - Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt described it as “shocking”.

Here is all you need to know about the latest development in the search:

Has Nicola Bulley been found?

In a statement on Sunday (19 February), Lancashire Police said: “This morning, Sunday, 19 February, you may be aware of police activity around the river near to St Michaels. We want to provide you with an update on that activity. We were called today at 11:36am to reports of a body in the River Wyre, close to Rawcliffe Road.An underwater search team and specialist officers have subsequently attended the scene, entered the water and have sadly recovered a body.

“No formal identification has yet been carried out, so we are unable to say whether this is Nicola Bulley at this time. Procedures to identify the body are on-going.

“We are currently treating the death as unexplained. Nicola’s family have been informed of developments and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult of times. We ask that their privacy.”

Home Secretary Suella Braverman described developments in the case of Nicola Bulley as “heart-breaking and distressing” after a body was found in the River Wyre. She tweeted: “These are heart-breaking and distressing developments. My thoughts remain with Nicola’s family at this extremely difficult time.”

Family in ‘agony’ after heartbreaking development

Mirror Online reports that Sky News correspondent Inzamam Rashid said that he had been in contact with Nicola’s partner, Paul Ansell, via text. He wrote in a message: “No words right now, just agony.”

The family are “incredibly heartbroken” and will “really be struggling tonight”, added Mr Rashid.

When and where did Nicola Bulley go missing?

Nicola disappeared while walking her springer spaniel Willow in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, after she dropped her two daughters – aged six and nine – at school on 27 January.

At 8.26am she left her home with her two daughters, dropping them off at school and engaging in a brief conversation with another parent around 15 minutes later. She then took Willow for a walk along the path by the River Wyre at 8.43am, heading towards a gate in the lower field and was later seen by a dog walker who knew her.

At 8.53am, Nicola sent an email to her boss, followed by a message to her friends six minutes later, before logging on to a Microsoft Teams call at 9.01am. She was seen by a second witness at 9.10am, the last known sighting.

Her phone was back in the area of the bench at 9.20am before the Teams call ended 10 minutes later, with her mobile remaining logged on after the call.

At 9.33am, another dog walker found her phone on a bench beside the river, with Willow darting between the two. At 10.50am, Nicola’s family and the school attended by her children were told about her disappearance.

Why has Lancashire Police been criticsed?

The police’s decision to reveal details of her private life has continued to come under criticism. Information Commissioner John Edwards said in a statement he would be speaking to Lancashire Police about why it decided to disclose information about her alcohol and HRT issues.

Former victims’ commissioner Dame Vera Baird said the force had made a “sexist” error by disclosing her struggles with alcohol and the menopause. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said it would be “a rare thing” for his force to disclose such details, but he added that he did not have “all the facts to hand”.

Wyre Council leader Michael Vincent revealed people in the village where she vanished have employed an external security company and are “scared in their own homes” because of interest in the case. He also said there are “lessons to be learned” for Lancashire Police but added they had done their best “in difficult circumstances”.