Found Deceased UK - Nicola Bulley Last Seen Walking Dog Near River - St Michaels on Wyre (Lancashire) #11

[CSIAngus]

A fellow WS asked me about motives in an earlier post so I started a list of all those that I've seen be put forward. One that wasn't on the list was an altercation about the dog being off the lead with someone so obsessed and angry about the issue that they could become enraged. Could NB have been involved in an argument, a tussle, with someone local who is obsessed with the issue of people letting their dogs off the lead, and been accidentally fatally struck or pushed over? Discounting the dog being tied up with string at precisely 9.33am (which has always seemed oddly precise to me), there's then a large wedge of time before the abandoned dog and phone are raised with the school. That would be ample time to find help to remove a body, get some string to tie the dog up, and pose the scene. Perhaps even be there in the early stages to point the Police at the river. Plausible IMO.

There's even a sign nailed to the tree by the bench that says 'Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times'. So it's obviously an issue.

 

[CSIAngus]

There's even a sign nailed to the tree by the bench that says 'Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times'. So it's obviously an issue.

And NB isn't local, she lives in Inskip 4 miles away and has an Essex accent. What difference does that make I hear you ask? Well possibly nothing except living in a remote rural area as I do, there is an us and them, local vs incomer attitude in some people that might just inflame a confrontation over a breach of local rules. JMO

 

[Springplease]

Does anyone know what a "clough" regarding drainage is? I found some factual official minutes from a meeting called "Wyre Making Space For Water" from 24 February 2022 in which references to a "clough" which "will not shut" and "a sinkhole" were made. This appears to be in a field very close to the bridge in question in St Michaels.

Might be nothing but thought I'd throw it into the mix...

"...a local farmer has exposed a clough from a private drain on the river bank to the north of the bridge which was inoperative. UU have carried out a survey of drains from houses but the findings have not been shared.

Investigations have also been made to confirm the ownership of the drain with clough in Gresty’s field opposite the Church. This confirmed UU as the owner. It is reported to FLAG that the drain has been jetted on behalf of UU but that the clough will not shut so this may need replacing if not capable of repair. Apparently a sinkhole has been noted which may also have impact on the flooding of the A586 to the south of this field."

https://www.wyre.gov.uk/downloads/file/1393/making-space-for-water-minutes-24-february-2022-acc

I have no idea all I could find was some kind of secondary drain like this ? File:Bendy clough - geograph.org.uk - 700476.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

 

[Mr X]

A fellow WS asked me about motives in an earlier post so I started a list of all those that I've seen be put forward. One that wasn't on the list was an altercation about the dog being off the lead with someone so obsessed and angry about the issue that they could become enraged. Could NB have been involved in an argument, a tussle, with someone local who is obsessed with the issue of people letting their dogs off the lead, and been accidentally fatally struck or pushed over? Discounting the dog being tied up with string at precisely 9.33am (which has always seemed oddly precise to me), there's then a large wedge of time before the abandoned dog and phone are raised with the school. That would be ample time to find help to remove a body, get some string to tie the dog up, and pose the scene. Perhaps even be there in the early stages to point the Police at the river. Plausible IMO.

I posted this last Wednesday at 3.05pm (UK time)

"
Possible theory. IMO the dog harness is critical.

There was some suggestion earlier that there were issues with dogs off leads and someone (not the land owner) had put up notices to the effect that people must not have dogs off leads.

What could have happened is you might get an irate passer by who gets into a confrontation with the MP and out of anger throws the dog harness, which may have simply been sitting on the bench beside the MP, in the river.

IMO it is feasible that someone who was wound up could express their frustration by interacting with the harness. "Why do you have this if you don't use it ?" type of comment. Then in frustration the irate passer by just carries on with their journey.

MP goes to retrieve dog harness, slips in water and throws harness back out of river and then succumbs to cold water shock etc while trying to get back out.


MOO but there has been no confirmation of whether the dog harness was wet or dry. I feel this is a key detail here but not sure why it would not be mentioned unless the assumption is that it was dry.

JMO and probably too speculative. "

 

[Allabouttrial]

---

11TH FEB.

An ex-detective says she's convinced missing mum Nicola Bulley is in the river based on three factors.

Julie Mackay said she agrees with the cops' main theory - that the 45-year-old ended up in the icy Lancashire waterway on January 27.

---

"Today, when you look at the last two weeks and review it, nothing has changed."

---

She said: "I don't think it criminal - there would have been a clue along the way."

The former detective said a criminal act is "usually from an opportunist", adding: "Where women are attacked by a stranger and sexually assaulted and or sadly murdered it's spontaneous.

"It's rare they would camp out the area, check the route, the CCTV and do it at all around 9am."

---

I'm an ex-detective - I'm convinced Nicola Bulley IS in river based on 3 factors

AN EX-detective says she’s convinced missing mum Nicola Bulley is in the river based on three factors. Julie Mackay said she agrees with the cops’ main theory – that the 45-year-o…

www.thesun.co.uk

 

[CSIAngus]

I posted this last Wednesday at 3.05pm (UK time)

"
Possible theory. IMO the dog harness is critical.

There was some suggestion earlier that there were issues with dogs off leads and someone (not the land owner) had put up notices to the effect that people must not have dogs off leads.

What could have happened is you might get an irate passer by who gets into a confrontation with the MP and out of anger throws the dog harness, which may have simply been sitting on the bench beside the MP, in the river.

IMO it is feasible that someone who was wound up could express their frustration by interacting with the harness. "Why do you have this if you don't use it ?" type of comment. Then in frustration the irate passer by just carries on with their journey.

MP goes to retrieve dog harness, slips in water and throws harness back out of river and then succumbs to cold water shock etc while trying to get back out.


MOO but there has been no confirmation of whether the dog harness was wet or dry. I feel this is a key detail here but not sure why it would not be mentioned unless the assumption is that it was dry.

JMO and probably too speculative. "

I think the dog off lead confrontation scenario is plausible though I think the river is a distraction, perhaps part of the cover up story. I think, in this scenario, she's more likely concealed very locally to the scene and within St Michaels. In that, I agree with PA that someone local knows what happened.

 

[Mr X]

Does anyone know what a "clough" regarding drainage is? I found some factual official minutes from a meeting called "Wyre Making Space For Water" from 24 February 2022 in which references to a "clough" which "will not shut" and "a sinkhole" were made. This appears to be in a field very close to the bridge in question in St Michaels.

Might be nothing but thought I'd throw it into the mix...

"...a local farmer has exposed a clough from a private drain on the river bank to the north of the bridge which was inoperative. UU have carried out a survey of drains from houses but the findings have not been shared.

Investigations have also been made to confirm the ownership of the drain with clough in Gresty’s field opposite the Church. This confirmed UU as the owner. It is reported to FLAG that the drain has been jetted on behalf of UU but that the clough will not shut so this may need replacing if not capable of repair. Apparently a sinkhole has been noted which may also have impact on the flooding of the A586 to the south of this field."

https://www.wyre.gov.uk/downloads/file/1393/making-space-for-water-minutes-24-february-2022-acc

IMO this is interesting as there had been very high levels on the Wyre quite recently according to the levels data. There was a lot of rain. IMO not impossible that some sort of drain could have been blown open by flood water and not closed afterwards.

Looking at the brick building location it does seem plausible that there is a feed from the river for the lake nearby. If so there will be an inlet in front of it. I can imagine the whole area belonging to a manor at some stage in the past and perhaps the lake could have been their farm water supply before the introduction of modern utilities.

There could be some very old infrastructure associated with the river in the area IMO.

Is the land privately owned or a public area? I think it is probably private.

 

[Seattle1]

Nicola Bulley's partner reveals movements when missing she vanished

Devastated Paul Ansell , 44, said he was 'at home drinking tea' when 45-year-old mortgage adviser and mother-of-two Nicola Bulley disappeared.

www.dailymail.co.uk

It looks like PA was at the school before he received a call about NB

PA was still at home when the school phoned him that NB's phone and Willow were located, and NB was not in sight.

From the quoted link:

Mr Ansell said he usually goes to the gym on Fridays at lunchtime.

He said: 'I quickly got my gym stuff on. I just thought basically I'm gonna go out, find her, come home, do a bit of work.'

As he was getting ready to leave, the receptionist at their daughters' school rang and told him Nicola's phone had been found on a bench.

He jumped in the car and drove to the river, where he calmed Springer spaniel Willow and was handed Nicola's phone.

[..]

After joining others who were searching the area, the group decided to call 999.

The police told him to go home with Willow.

Mr Ansell said: 'I'd gone home then, taken Willow back, a police officer had come to the house and although I was obviously extremely worried and concerned I still expected any second they'd just go, "oh, found her".

 

[annpats]

so if you use this break in the fence (how far is it from where the dog was left?)- you come out where?- would that be a place for a vehicle? Are you still herding or dragging NB a certain distance without attracting any attention?

Or any marks on the grass or in the mud!

 

[AnalyticalMind]

It is slightly interesting that the little building nearby is called "red brick" on the anglers website map. This seems to imply that it could be quite an old structure.

I imagine this is where the theory of a tunnel under the river comes from. The old house opposite seems to be a really very old one and the site of a stately home of some sort. In the old days people spent a lot of money on their houses and if there was a river nearby it could have been useful for boating activities. A tunnel is a bit far fetched and it would be much more likely you would put in a bridge but the building is still interesting and one hopes that LE in this case have opened it up and checked it.

Looks like there has been something there for a long time

View attachment 402236

According to old maps it was a vicarage.

 

[Twistinginthewind]

hello I’m new here,
Apologies if someone has already mentioned this but I’m reading through and have only got to thread 9. Anyway
I wanted to mention the public footpath that runs along the side of the grapes car park and leads to the fields and the river as a possible exit.
Its almost opposite the garage.

here is a screenshot from street view.

Welcome to WS!

 

[Mr X]

Another photo of the weir. This one is on the wyreside farm caravan park website photo stream .


(I cropped the image down a bit)

It's not a very big Weir. If the levels were a foot either way up or down it would make a big difference to how the Weir would behave in terms of floating objects going over it. I still think there could be hydraulic towback trapping things underneath the waterfall.

According to old maps it was a vicarage.

That's interesting. It looks like a pumping station. Picture from rowan water website

 

[Seattle1]

It’s not a van thought, it’s a 4x4 range rover type or something. Someone close to PA does own a red Renault high sided live in type van though, if not PA himself, it drove through the town on 3/2/23 in front of itv cameras when he was being driven through the town to show support for those looking for nicola. I’m sure police know what van they’re looking for if they have cctv of this area / roads into and around the area …

I'm not understanding OP's point here.

I recall witnesses some time ago previously contacted the Police about a red van parked near the trail that had not been seen there before.

Are we to believe that after 14+ days, LE has not confirmed the location and alibi of all close to missing NB?

 

[Andreee]

Witness reportedly saw ‘suspicious' men near Nicola Bulley's route

Two ‘suspicious’ men allegedly seen near missing Nicola's dog walking route as police are handed new CCTV

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

 

[bringmeacupoft]

Or this red tatty older looking renault van which perfectly matches the description of the one seen on hall lane. Which every one seems to be ignoring …

I don’t think people are ignoring it I’m confused as to how you know PA was in it? Or where this picture is even from. - that picture could be from anywhere. There’s a distinct lack of information or context in your posts regarding the van.

 

[kittythehare]

When someone connected to this case has a red tatty Renault van that looks like it could be lived in and which PA drove through the village in (unclear if he drove it himself) then I think we can assume police aren’t letting on what they know and are probably watching people very carefully …

I'm lost . What exactly do you mean, please?
are we talking about the grubby van sighting which was reported to police almost immediately after her disappearance and which media decided to highlight last week as if it was a brand new story and a definite clue when it was nothing of the sort?
Are you saying PA drove that vehicle on the day she disappeared or am I taking you up wrong?

 

[AnalyticalMind]

Does anyone local know why Bullfield Pit Forest is named as such? Did it have a pit sunk at one point? I've had a quick look and can't find much online. A "pit" was obviously an entrance to a mine, I can't find any records of mines in that area though... It's just something I noticed on an old map. Probably of no relevance.

 

[AnalyticalMind]

Another photo of the weir. This one is on the wyreside farm caravan park website photo stream .

View attachment 402339
(I cropped the image down a bit)

It's not a very big Weir. If the levels were a foot either way up or down it would make a big difference to how the Weir would behave in terms of floating objects going over it. I still think there could be hydraulic towback trapping things underneath the waterfall.



That's interesting. It looks like a pumping station. Picture from rowan water website View attachment 402342

No, the old house you spoke of, opposite, was a vicarage. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to share a screenshot,

 

[Mr X]

iMO "The old house" is a manor house. It comes up in old records online.

"Hornby's big house" is the name given by the anglers club for that fishing spot on their map.

 

[Seattle1]

I'm lost . What exactly do you mean, please?
are we talking about the grubby van sighting which was reported to police almost immediately after her disappearance and which media decided to highlight last week as if it was a brand new story and a definite clue when it was nothing of the sort?
Are you saying PA drove that vehicle on the day she disappeared or am I taking you up wrong?

@kittythehare -- I'm confident the police are very aware of the ratty, grubby van, after not less than half a dozen named individuals previously contacted police-- including the tree surgeon that rents the barn where the van was parked. IMO, seems to me somebody's been fueling up on SM Kool-Aid.

I saw red van hunted by Nicola cops, there's no reason for it to be there

A TREE surgeon who uses a ramshackle barn where a “suspicious” red van was spotted near where Nicola Bulley vanished, told The Sun: “There’s no reason to be there, unless you’re up to no good.” Den…

www.thesun.co.uk