Police told to assume that missing Nicola was abducted

THE police probe into missing Nicola Bulley must now focus on the possibility of foul play” and that she may have been abducted by someone with local knowledge”, crime experts have said.

- Tony Whitfield

Forensic search chief Peter Faulding, who was called in by Nicola’s family to assist police divers in scouring the nearby river, also called for searches of the surrounding area.

It follows a plea by Nicola’s partner Paul Ansell for every house, every garage, every outbuilding and the land” to be scrutinised.

The mother-of-two vanished on January 27, while walking her spaniel near the Wyre river, in the village of St Michael’s, in Lancashire.

Mr Faulding admitted he was baffled” by the fact Nicola, 45, has not yet been found and he raised concerns that she was a creature of habit”, walking the same route every day, and could therefore have been targeted by a stalker.

He said: My professional opinion is, I find it hard to believe that she actually went in that river, unless she was knocked unconscious.”

He said the probe should now examine the potential she had been taken against her will and could be hidden nearby.