The disappearance of Nicola Bulley shocked the UK, made nationwide news and sparked a huge search when she vanished into thin air on January 27 – and now an update on the case has been revealed.
Three weeks after she was last seen walking her dog, the 45-year-old mother of two’s body was tragically found. But still, months later, a lot of questions appear to remain unanswered.
An inquest into her death is to be heard on Monday June 26 at County Hall in Preston. And just today (April 11) it was claimed police were heading back to where her body was found to try and figure out to cause of death.
Here, ED! takes a deep dive into all the unanswered questions about the tragic death of Nicola Bulley.
Nicola Bulley update: Why did it take so long to find her?
Nicola was last seen in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, on January 27 at around 9.15am. Nicola’s body was ultimately found in the river on February 19. It was over three weeks after she disappeared and it is not known why it took so long.
An extensive search was launched to find Nicola though, with police, mountain rescue and firefighters all coming together to try and find her. Wooded areas, ditches, water margins and the grounds of an abandoned house were all scoured by officers.
Why was her body found so far away?
Nicola went missing in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire. But she was found a mile from where she vanished.
Specialist divers had spent weeks searching the waters around the area where she was last seen. However, it is still not known why exactly her body turned up where it was discovered.
Why was Nicola’s phone found on the bench?
When Nicola went missing, all that was found was her mobile on a bench, near Wyreside Farm Caravan Park.
Her phone was also discovered to be connected to a work call after her disappearance. And her dog Willow was also found nearby. According to Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith, it was normal for her to be holding her phone while on a Teams call.
She also explained that the last person to see Nicola before she vanished said that was exactly what she was doing. But it is still not known why exactly it was found alone on the bench.
Nicola’s cause of death?
Nicola’s cause of death has still not yet been revealed. She was at first identified through her dental records, though.
And on Tuesday (April 11) it was revealed divers had returned to where her body was discovered. Video footage appears to show divers searching the water in order to try and confirm her cause of death.
Upon the request of the coroner, divers have headed back to where Nicola tragically died. Specialists have been asked to return to the stretch of the River Wyre in Lancashire, where she went missing, in order to help confirm her cause of death.
Why did police reveal medical history of Nicola Bulley?
Nicola was branded a high risk missing person by Lancashire Police after they were made aware of “vulnerabilities” by her partner Paul Ansell.
In the press conference, cops said the mum of two had “significant issues with alcohol” as a result of menopause. They also revealed they’d been called to the family’s home after “a report of concern for welfare” just weeks before she vanished.
The police have since been slammed by the public for “destroying” the mum’s reputation. So why did they reveal her personal medical information?
So what do you think of this story? You can leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.