Missing woman vanished on footpath leaving phone and dog behind

A woman who disappeared while out walking her dog had previously said the route was ‘spooky’.

Nicola Bulley, 45, was last seen on Friday (27 January) at around 9.15am while walking along a footpath near the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.

Her brown cocker spaniel Willow was found walking around off its lead about an hour after Ms Bulley was last seen.

The person who saw the dog recognised Willow and the alarm was raised at 10.30am.

Police have launched a huge search for Ms Bulley and have urged anyone with any information to come forward.

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Ms Bulley has previously shared images taken along the route. In one post shared on social media in November she wrote: “A very foggy cold walk this morning, not a day to forget your gloves!

"Bit Spooky too! Set me up for the day though and Willow had the best time."

Police have said Ms Bulley’s mobile phone was found on a bench near where she was last seen and it was still connected to a conference call when it was found.

Superintendent Sally Riley from Lancashire Police told the Mirror that Ms Bulley’s phone was still on an active call when it was found: “It was on a meeting call, and that was still live. It was connected to the conference call and that hadn’t been terminated.”

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The officer told a press conference that fears for Ms Bulley are growing as time passes.

She said: “The police are keeping a really open mind about what could have happened but we do believe that the likelihood is that Nicola has gone missing and this is not a crime inquiry.

“We’ve mounted a really intensive operation to try to find Nicola.

“We’ve got a large area to search.

“People do go missing but clearly as time goes on we become more and more concerned for Nicola.

“But we’re very much hoping that we will find something to try to bring her home safe and well soon.

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“We appeal for anyone who may have been driving through the village of St Michael’s last Friday morning at about 9.15am or who may have dashcam footage that could be of use to us, or people who may have been dog-walking in the area or on the tow path, to come forward.

“They can ring 101 or, if they have a sighting of Nicola, 999.”

Ms Bulley’s partner Paul Ansell said: “It is just perpetual hell. It is just utter disbelief.

“We are living through this but it doesn’t feel real.

“All we can say is we need to find her. She’s got two little girls that need their mummy home.

“We have got to get some good news now.”