Police tell ‘so-called experts’ to stop commenting on missing Nicola Bulley case

Police have urged people to refrain from indulging in commentary and conspiracy theories about missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley.

The 45-year-old disappeared while walking her springer spaniel dog Willow, alongside the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre on January 27, sparking a major ongoing police search effort.

It said that speculation about her fate by “so-called experts” is “damaging” to the investigation.

On Twitter, the force stated: “We continue to see hurtful abuse of innocent people, including witnesses and local businesses.

“There is also a huge amount of commentary from so-called experts and conspiracy theories which are damaging to the investigation and, worst of all, to Nicola’s family.

“It must stop.”

The force added: “People may have seen less police activity around the river, but that’s not because we have stepped down our searches, rather the focus of the search has moved further downstream and out towards the coast.

“Specialist resources including underwater search teams, drones, mounted and the police helicopter were out today as we comb the River Wyre and down and out into the sea.”

It added: “It remains the case that at the present time there is absolutely nothing in all the extensive inquiries we have made that suggests anything untoward has happened or that there is any third-party involvement in Nicola’s disappearance, but the investigation is ongoing.”

The force played down reports over recent days from witnesses who described seeing a red van they considered to be suspicious in the area around the time Ms Bulley went missing.

It said: “We are aware of reports in the media about a red van being reported to us & we would like to stress that whilst we are making efforts to identify the owner, at this time there is nothing to suggest this was anything other than one of many hundreds of vehicles in the area that morning.”