Nicola Bulley: Police divers continue to search River Wyre

Divers were sent back to the stretch of the River Wyre where Nicola Bulley’s body was found because Dr James Adeley, the coroner conducting the inquest into her death was “clearly not satisfied” with Lancashire Police, a retired detective has claimed. However, a spokesman for the force today warned against “misinformed speculation”, stressing it was “acting under instruction of HM Senior Coroner”.

The 45-year-old mum-of-two was found on February 20, three weeks after disappearing as she took her dog for a walk close to her home in the nearby village of St Michael’s-on-Wyre.

Specialist divers were spotted in the water last week, while video footage this week showed officers combing through the water less than a mile from the last confirmed sighting of her on January 27.

Lancashire Police subsequently confirmed they had been asked by the coroner to search the river again to build up a “complete a picture” of how Ms Bulley died.

Ex-Scotland Yard detective Peter Bleksley told The Sun the announcement proved the force had “lost all control of the narrative”.

It was embarrassing for police that the coroner had requested further searches five weeks after Ms Bulley’s body was found, not by specialists, but by members of the public, Mr Bleksley continued.

He added: “It is very rare. It shows the police failed their initial search.

“The coroner is clearly not satisfied with the force. It shows their search clearly wasn’t as thorough as it could have been.

“This is a massive embarrassment for Lancashire police and at the end of the day they only have themselves to blame.”

After mortgage adviser Ms Bulley’s disappearance, a massive search was mounted involving police, firefighters, mountain rescue, underwater teams and members of the community.

Police combed through wooded areas, ditches, water margins and the grounds of an abandoned house.

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Separately, diving expert Peter Faulding, searched the water using £50,000 sonar equipment.

However, he later pulled out, saying he did not believe she was in the water.

Nicola’s disappearance triggered massive online speculation online, with conspiracy theorists keen to solve the mystery flooding into the area.

One man was also arrested for filming and uploading footage of her body being recovered from the water.

Curtis Arnold, 34, of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, was detained on suspicion of malicious communications offences and perverting the course of justice.

Speaking today, A Lancashire police spokesman said: “There has been misinformed speculation over the past few days relating to police activity in the River Wyre.

“As previously stated, police divers were acting under instruction of HM Senior Coroner and had been asked to assess the riverbanks in the vicinity of where Nicola Bulley went missing.

“They had not been tasked either to perform any further searches within the river or along the banks or to locate any articles.

“This activity is to assist with the coronial process.”

HM Senior Coroner, Dr James Adeley, said: “Speculation as to the role and purpose of Officers acting on my instructions is unhelpful in the resolution of this inquest.”

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