Nicola Bulley police say 'intricacies' of local knowledge could find missing mum

14 February 2023 , 09:06

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Police search the caravan site, near the bench on the River Wyre (Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

A former police officer has said cops investigating Nicola Bulley 's disappearance will be using the "intricacies" of local knowledge to help.

The mortgage adviser, 45, has been missing since January 27 and was last seen walking her brown spaniel Willow near the River Wyre in St Michaels on the Wyre, Lancashire.

Lancashire Police launched a massive search, with police scouring the River Wyre down to Morecambe Bay, and yesterday at Wyreside Farm Caravan Park.

A friend, named Tilly-Ann, previously wrote in a Facebook post backed by Ms Bulley's family: "There's CCTV at the back of the caravan park.

"The only camera that isn't working is the one that would have seen everything."

Nicola Bulley's children 'cried their eyes out' after being told 'mummy's lost'

Nicola Bulley with her dog Willow (Nikki Bulley - Mortgage Adviser/Facebook)

Nicola with partner Paul Ansell and their children

Martyn Underhill, who worked on the Sarah Payne case in 2000 as well as dozens of other murders, have said you “cannot beat local knowledge” in the hunt for a missing person.

Mr Underhill, who is now lecturing on investigation techniques, told a Sky News podcast: "Nine out of 10 missing people are solved by the public, not by the police."

"But equally, you have to manage that expectation. And I call it the tail wagging the dog. You have to have clear strategies in place that the public feel like they're being involved - [so] the armchair detectives don't feel rejected."

Last week the search expanded to the Shard Bridge - seven miles from where Nicola was last seen (PA)

Mr Underhill continued: "The one thing I've learnt, and I've worked on 50 murders and I'm now lecturing on murders in university, are you cannot beat local knowledge. They know little intricacies - a little tree that's got a root that sticks out that someone will trip up on if they walked over it.

"It is silly things like that can become absolutely crucial in solving a murder or a missing person."

It comes as a local councillor who lives near where police are searching for Nicola received a late-night "offensive" voicemail about the missing mum.

Five of the six members of Inskip with Sowerby Parish Council, Lancashire, received nuisance phone calls - though all but one simply rang off as they answered, it was claimed.

The flurry of "mystery phone calls" came between 12.45am and 3am on Saturday, a source close to the council told The Mirror.

Sarah was abducted by twisted paedophile Roy Whiting in a high-profile case that brought about a change in the law.

He sexually abused the eight-year-old before killing her and dumping her tiny body.

Mum appeared 'completely normal' moments before vanishing while walking dog

Alahna Kindred