Found Deceased UK - Nicola Bulley Last Seen Walking Dog Near River - St Michaels on Wyre (Lancashire) #12

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

would they be occupied this time of year? those caravans dont really look winterised

Good point, we haven't been told, I guess maybe the caravan park and camping grounds close over the winter period?

 

[ginnyw]

Why oh why haven’t they done this sooner! I appreciate they need to prove a crime has been committed but surely it’s common sense…

Nicola Bulley police head to caravan site yards from bench where phone found

The caravan site being visited by Lancashire Police officers is believed to be one of several CCTV 'blind spots' identified in the search for missing mum-of-two Nicola Bulley

www.mirror.co.uk

we should check that this caravan site is open all year round ( any all-year occupants)
I haven't checked but wondering if somebody else on WS already has the answer before doubling-up on work

On their website they only say that they are open 'March to October' - so, they were supposedly shut when NB went missing, then?

 

[Grouse]

DBM

 

[UK Girl]

Countryside Caravaning and Camping – Welcome to Wyreside Farm Park. – Exclusive caravan holiday home park situated beside the river Wyre at St Michaels on Wyre.

Open - March - October.

thats what I thought . I have holiday caravans as well and we can not open until March for licencing issues and also it would be classed as a residential park and not a holiday park.

 

[GTB72]

Does anyone local know where this building is. It looks like a water treatment centre>

It's on the river bank slightly upstream from the bench going towards upper field.

 

[eeejay268]

Personally, I don't think she went in the water as I feel there are far more likely scenarios. Had there been other clues, of course I'd imagine she was in the water. The lack of skid marks, scuffs, hand marks, dropped or lost items that would come loose during a tumble - earrings, finger nails, hair, buttons, scarf, hat, ear-phones, tears to clothing that would leave bits of fabric behind - all speaks to me that she didn't go in. Plus no-one heard any sudden scream or yelp or calling out.

There isn't any evidence of hard rocks that she would have hit her head on to be knocked unconscious and there's no blood or body fluids have been declared found by LE.

Friends and family say NB was a strong swimmer, plus she was also fit and lightweight. Her jeans were fitted, look thin fabric, not loose, and the jackets either filled with feather down or polyester, those are not heavy materials when saturated as opposed to say thick wools and linens. Her hair was tied back in a pony tail. Her boots were only ankle length and rubber, they would have been lighter weight too, they'd take in water but not as much as bigger boots and they would slip off more easily than tied on shoes or bigger boots. Would those small wellies filling with water and the weight of her synthetic fabric coat which was closely fitted really drag her under? I don't think so IMO.

I imagine tumbling into freezing cold water would be terribly shocking and one would immediately lose breath and then start scrambling to get out, maybe screaming for help. People say the divers needed help to get out, well yes they did because they had heavy diving equipment and flippers on and anyway why would you leave someone to struggle their way out of the river than give them a hand. It doesn't mean the river is impossible to climb out of by default. NB's coat coming down to knee length, if zipped up and pulling downwardly with weight of water, would restrict leg movement for swimming and climbing.

As for the dog, a spaniel who loved water, I believe the dog would go in after her for various reasons. Either to follow, to 'help', or to play alongside if it's daft as a brush. Also if the dog was surprised by a strange kerfuffle of the owner and the owner seemed in distress, the dog would probably start pacing along whining and crying from the bank side.

I think it would take a long time of struggling to get out and maybe yelling for help before one would entirely lose breath and become weak to the point of losing life. JMO MOO

But there are rocks below the water line that could easily hit her head on, then the weight of her wet clothes could easily roll her into deeper water. Those who know the water think she could have been over the weir in a matter of days.

besides dog behaviour in unpredictable plus if she went in quietly and the dog was rummaging around the bushes close by it wouldn’t have actually seen her go in. Dogs don’t have the same sense of permanency that we do so would have been really confused.

 

[cottonweaver]

On their website they only say that they are open 'March to October' - so, they were supposedly shut when NB went missing, then?

Thanks yes, have seen their advert now, because a WS member has just posted their opening times ( March + )

Other thing was that post from another WSer saying:
- the officers in the Mirror photo are PCSO
- and that the divers had used the caravan site as a temporary residence

so am now wondering if this Mirror report is a red herring ( initially I thought - wow! great a possible new lead)

 

[CriLondon]

Very good analysis of dog behaviour. Do you believe that this suggests that NB went off with someone known to both NB and the dog?

Believe is a big word at this stage .

A picture is starting to form , in my view , whereby if you remove Nicola from the gated area it becomes a lot easier to explain the (small) rest of the evidence and result of the searches in that area of the river.
Willow's behaviour from the little evidence we have seems to corroborate this.
How and why she left through the gate , are still not in my immediate concern .
I'm still at WHAT (?) happened .

 

[Woodburnbay]

It's on the river bank slightly upstream from the bench going towards upper field.

Worth a search then even if it has already.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

I believe that they are only permitted to live in mobile homes for 1 out of 12 months a year.
Im not sure if there is a particular month when this happens but if it was January then a mobile site would be quite empty apart from the owners-Did I just say that

In the UK the laws on residing in static caravans have changed in the recent past, I'm not certain of the details. I think people are allowed to live in them many months of the year but not as a permanent or first and only home. I guess people do attempt to live in them permanently for one reason or another, it's down to the site management and the local authorities to enforce and I recall read that it became an issue during covid lockdowns.

 

[GTB72]

It's on the river bank slightly upstream from the bench going towards upper field.

Edited by me. I think a link was posted to it on a previous thread or I watched it on the MEN website video by Thomas George.

 

[pineapple23]

I believe that they are only permitted to live in mobile homes for 1 out of 12 months a year.
Im not sure if there is a particular month when this happens but if it was January then a mobile site would be quite empty apart from the owners-Did I just say that

A mobile site might be restricted for holiday use but in some, I believe people live in them year round but have to vacate one or two months a year. Plus some sites have a residential section for use as permanent residential dwellings

 

[Liverpool86]

Personally, I don't think she went in the water as I feel there are far more likely scenarios. Had there been other clues, of course I'd imagine she was in the water. The lack of skid marks, scuffs, hand marks, dropped or lost items that would come loose during a tumble - earrings, finger nails, hair, buttons, scarf, hat, ear-phones, tears to clothing that would leave bits of fabric behind - all speaks to me that she didn't go in. Plus no-one heard any sudden scream or yelp or calling out.

There isn't any evidence of hard rocks that she would have hit her head on to be knocked unconscious and there's no blood or body fluids have been declared found by LE.

Friends and family say NB was a strong swimmer, plus she was also fit and lightweight. Her jeans were fitted, look thin fabric, not loose, and the jackets either filled with feather down or polyester, those are not heavy materials when saturated as opposed to say thick wools and linens. Her hair was tied back in a pony tail. Her boots were only ankle length and rubber, they would have been lighter weight too, they'd take in water but not as much as bigger boots and they would slip off more easily than tied on shoes or bigger boots. Would those small wellies filling with water and the weight of her synthetic fabric coat which was closely fitted really drag her under? I don't think so IMO.

I imagine tumbling into freezing cold water would be terribly shocking and one would immediately lose breath and then start scrambling to get out, maybe screaming for help. People say the divers needed help to get out, well yes they did because they had heavy diving equipment and flippers on and anyway why would you leave someone to struggle their way out of the river than give them a hand. It doesn't mean the river is impossible to climb out of by default. NB's coat coming down to knee length, if zipped up and pulling downwardly with weight of water, would restrict leg movement for swimming and climbing.

As for the dog, a spaniel who loved water, I believe the dog would go in after her for various reasons. Either to follow, to 'help', or to play alongside if it's daft as a brush. Also if the dog was surprised by a strange kerfuffle of the owner and the owner seemed in distress, the dog would probably start pacing along whining and crying from the bank side.

I think it would take a long time of struggling to get out and maybe yelling for help before one would entirely lose breath and become weak to the point of losing life. JMO MOO

Thank you so much. This is a really excellent analysis and my opinion also.
I would be interested to know if the dog may have been tied to the bench and had managed to escape the harness after a time but then surely the harness still would have been attached to the bench, all depending on how it was tied and where on the bench too. Being a dog owner to a boisterous and bouncy dog myself, I know that he can escape his harness. It may take a few good goes but he is able to.

I’m of the swaying towards the dog and phone were left there as a decoy. All very confusing.

 

[Mr X]

The Red Brick building has already been discussed quite a few times previously on this topic and someone has broken into it recently to have a look.

Apparnetly a pumping station. As i mentioned before it looks old to me but maybe not.

I think probably connected to the house opposite but that is supposition. Land registry would show who owns it.

IMO interesting point about searching buildings. If they are not occupied would LE still need permission to access? and if so and it was denied then why? There wouldn't be a privacy problem if you don't live there.

ETA reason I think it might be connected to the Old House is because there is a small mark on a very old map showing something in that location.

Again it is IMO but not implausible there is a tunnel there for crossing the river. Yes a bridge would make more sense but a bridge may impede boat traffic (if there was any) on the river.

map

 

[GTB72]

Worth a search then even if it has already.

I think it's already been searched but they would probably search it again. Imo.

 

[GTB72]

It has already been discussed quite a few times previously on this topic and someone has broken into it recently to have a look.

Thanks.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

But there are rocks below the water line that could easily hit her head on, then the weight of her wet clothes could easily roll her into deeper water. Those who know the water think she could have been over the weir in a matter of days.

besides dog behaviour in unpredictable plus if she went in quietly and the dog was rummaging around the bushes close by it wouldn’t have actually seen her go in. Dogs don’t have the same sense of permanency that we do so would have been really confused.

I personally can't imagine any type of trip or fall down a banking (it is steep but it's in no way a sheer drop) that renders a person landing straight on their head with their arms not out defending. Also that the knock to head renders them immediately unconscious, they don't come around, and then quickly go under taking in water. But maybe?

I guess it can't be ruled out except the more time goes by and the less there is any evidence of this theory the worse it looks.

Personally, I suspect some form of foul play. If NB is drowned and one day recovered from the water, I can't imagine how it could be determined that someone didn't clonk her over the head and throw her in towards the 'deep hole', I think that would take two people to do.

 

[Liverpool86]

But there are rocks below the water line that could easily hit her head on, then the weight of her wet clothes could easily roll her into deeper water. Those who know the water think she could have been over the weir in a matter of days.

besides dog behaviour in unpredictable plus if she went in quietly and the dog was rummaging around the bushes close by it wouldn’t have actually seen her go in. Dogs don’t have the same sense of permanency that we do so would have been really confused.

I do see your point but a slip in the mud on that steep embankment is highly likely to have been visible. Speaking from experience (year I’ve fell in a lake lol), where I slipped left a very visible streak in the mud. So even if she did hit her head or something of the sort, there is likely going to be a visible sign that she fell in. Unsettled sediment on the river bed too. The short space of time that she was there to when her phone was found - there would have surely been obvious signs that something large had fell into the water. It’s very slow moving in that particular spot

 

[cottonweaver]

The police dive team was using the caravan park as a base so I find it hard to believe it's only being searched now. It's just as likely the police are there because of threats posed by vigilantes.

BUMPING this post ^ for members just coming on to the thread



edited to add

ps Mail is saying officers are doing routine inquiries but I doubt they know any more than the Mirror although hopefully this bit is accurate:
'officers spent just under an hour today'

there's literally nothing else at the link re this visit ( assume a photographer just got a photo and an arrival & departure time of the cop car)

Police searching for Nicola Bulley carry out enquiries at caravan park

Peter Faulding, who carried out underwater searches for Nicola Bulley, will start a search on land in attempt to find where she 'could have been buried.' He is confident she is not in the river.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[pineapple23]

Personally, I suspect some form of foul play. If NB is drowned and one day recovered from the water, I can't imagine how it could be determined that someone didn't clonk her over the head and throw her in towards the 'deep hole', I think that would take two people to do.

Yes even if she is recovered from the water there will still be many questions.