Found Deceased UK - Nicola Bulley Last Seen Walking Dog Near River - St Michaels on Wyre (Lancashire) #14

[Wishbone]

I’m not expecting a happy outcome, but the family’s statement today does give me a small amount of hope that they have at least some evidence or reason to believe she might have done a runner.

I have no idea how she would have been able to stay off-grid for three weeks though. Would she be aware of/have access to vacant properties through her work? I assume police would have checked those. If she’s being assisted by someone, that person is taking a huge risk if they have been spoken to by the police and misled them.

It's understandable that the family is still hopeful but in turn I can now see why the investigation was centered on her being in the river and not a victim to outside circumstances.IMO

 

[tree1]

Because SM would have said she was in a DV situation. Plus someone has threatened to sell stories about her, better to control the narrat

Because SM would have said she was in a DV situation. Plus someone has threatened to sell stories about her, better to control the narrative.

This all goes some way to illustrate the awful stigma that exists relating to addiction. I am as upset as everyone that her personal life has been published in this way but the press are feeding the notion that addiction is a dirty secret IMO by their terminology used. I am lucky enough to have never had addiction issues but as a Nurse, I have cared for many people suffering in this way. It is a disease, mental health condition plus physical dependency. My heart breaks for her and her family.

 

[shadwell]

I believe the left turn would have taken her over the bridge past the church, towards the school, where seemingly CCTV coverage picks up again… there are not really any obvious exits between those points.

Or she could have gone straight across the road from the river path to the gate opposite and followed the river west along the footpath - her time visible to any passing dashcam would be limited to a couple of seconds.

 

[in2thegate]

Or she could have gone straight across the road from the river path to the gate opposite and followed the river west along the footpath - her time visible to any passing dashcam would be limited to a couple of seconds.

Yes!!! I said this yesterday.. that way no CCTV and likely do dashcam footage. So glad to see someone else type this.

 

[Anxala]

Far more damaging, IMO was the insistence of friends and family was that they were coping with the disappearance of a happy, fit, 'perfect' pillar of the community Mum for whom nobody, not even her nearest and dearest, could think of any reason for her disappearance.

RSBM

^ I agree with this.

But, in her family and friends' defence, they were presumably (and desperately) hoping she'd turn up that same day or the next day and never imagined for one second this '3 weeks later and still no sign of her' scenario. It could well have come from a desire to protect her privacy and I think we can all understand that. And remember, they didn't keep this info from the police, so it's not as if they were acting in an irresponsible manner as far as NB's welfare was concerned.

 

[infinit]

Then the speculation would have been around what LE meant by 'vulnerable'?
There's been 'theories' on here ranging from issues arising from mental health, physical health, terminal illness and affairs, or having been targeted by dog thieves, kidnappers, stalkers, disgruntled mortgage holders, MI6, organised crime, money laundering, witness protection scheme and gun-toting elderly ladies.
All those scenarios mean she was vulnerable to harm - either from herself (whether intentional or accidental) or vulnerable to attack from others so LE using the word would have made no difference.

Far more damaging, IMO was the insistence of friends and family was that they were coping with the disappearance of a happy, fit, 'perfect' pillar of the community Mum for whom nobody, not even her nearest and dearest, could think of any reason for her disappearance.

You'd like to think in an ideal world there would be some sort of figure similar to a family liaison officer who could advise families on what statistically has proven to get the best results based on the parameters of the case in terms of media outreach, statements etc. Unfortunately I get the vibe they are left to essentially wing it having no experience and likely in a distressed state as it is. (I might be wrong - I'd hope I am.)

 

[Luxee]

I do highly doubt she was drunk as people would have noticed (those who met her or witnessed her on the walk). Though I get people with alcohol addiction can become so numb to it that sometimes your body is so used it. The thing is…some people enjoy drinking to excess at times, you wouldn’t necessarily call them alcoholics. This could have all been blown out of proportion and here we are victim blaming. “It MUST have been her fault, it MUST have been her jumping into the river, because now we can see she was going through the menopause and she had alcohol issues”. Abductions do happen and over 5,500 people on average, you can have a look at ONS stats and it tells you a lot about that sort of thing which I’m sure people have looked at. Women aren’t harmed as much as men and abductions are rare but still happen.

Where is this underlined quote from? Thanks
Edited to say I underlined the quoted sentence.I am curious about the original source.

 

[Jade]

This attitude of shame is why it can be so hard for people to go and get help for their problem.

Snip >>

a former detective who was involved in the Sarah Payne case in 2000, told Sky News that the force have "completely destroyed" Ms Bulley's reputation >>

Nicola Bulley: Stopping menopause drugs 'ended up causing this crisis', family says.

N’s reputation is not completely destroyed.

The former detective wants any other woman to know her reputation is done if she has woman problems and drinking.

It’s not an insult if N struggled with drink.

It’s not a problem equivalent to the gutter. Just because it is legal doesn’t mean all is bright with even a few drinks for someone who turns to it in need.

So the information is pertinent. What if someone noticed a new person around charity places or a woman who looks like her staying in lodging and frequenting the pub or staying completely to her room?

A teacher and mother of three disappeared in Texas after saying she was going out for lunch and was recognized months later by someone eating a meal with her in New Orleans. She was living amongst the homeless.

A desperate walkaway like a suicide is not able to, doesn’t have the emotional bandwidth, to seek to help others before acting. That’s why WS doesn’t allow victim blaming.

If N did a walker or it was self-harm it does not mean she wasn’t or didn’t want to consider others. Often they incomprehensively think it is for the best. The dog was not left in a busy lane of traffic but in a familiar area with other dog walkers and friends.

I think it is dear that her family showed the goodness in describing N. That’s how they know her and see her in their lives.




What is an alcoholic? How to treat alcoholism
all imo

 

[Lilbitcurious]

Sorry tried to make it smaller

This is Blackpool-Lancaster( the first was Lanc-Blackpool) buses are few and far between!

 

[Sara11272]

Where is this underlined quote from? Thanks
Edited to say I underlined the quoted sentence.I am curious about the original source.

I’m not sure it’s a quote as such, just what “we” - the public - are now saying.

 

[SteelyGlint]

I do highly doubt she was drunk as people would have noticed (those who met her or witnessed her on the walk). Though I get people with alcohol addiction can become so numb to it that sometimes your body is so used it. The thing is…some people enjoy drinking to excess at times, you wouldn’t necessarily call them alcoholics. This could have all been blown out of proportion and here we are victim blaming. “It MUST have been her fault, it MUST have been her jumping into the river, because now we can see she was going through the menopause and she had alcohol issues”. Abductions do happen and over 5,500 people on average, you can have a look at ONS stats and it tells you a lot about that sort of thing which I’m sure people have looked at. Women aren’t harmed as much as men and abductions are rare but still happen.

Abductions do happen yes, but I’m not sure where you get your “5,500 people on average” from. According to the National Crime Agency, in the years 2019/20 from 38,949 missing persons in England, Scotland and Wales, 0.1% of adults were given the reason “abducted’. That’s fewer than 40 people, although clearly 1 is too many.

https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/who-we-are/publications/501-uk-missing-persons-unit-data-report-2019-2020/file

It certainly does not rule out anything here of course, just wanting to make sure the number you quoted here reflected reality.

 

[SteelyGlint]

She’d be absolutely freezing though, I doubt she’d get far. Poor Nicola, I pray she is found.

And even at/below the weir the water was 40cm deep at least. That seems shallow but wading it when the air temperature is close to freezing and you haven’t got the right footwear, studded soles etc. is difficult.

River Wyre at St Michaels: River level and flood alerts

River levels and flood alerts for the River Wyre at St Michaels, Lancashire

riverlevels.uk

 

[ayrshireguy]

Or she could have gone straight across the road from the river path to the gate opposite and followed the river west along the footpath - her time visible to any passing dashcam would be limited to a couple of seconds.

That is what I thought she may have done

 

[DaFroome]

This is Blackpool-Lancaster( the first was Lanc-Blackpool) buses are few and far between!
View attachment 403289

Here’s the full route on a different day from a camera on the 42 bus.

Footage at St Michael’s at 53:48

Looks like a passenger held camera tbh. Would the buses have dashcam?

 

[Grouse]

Bus times- according to 42 timetable there would have been a bus due 09:24 The Grapes
View attachment 403285

Yes I've looked at those bus times as well. There was also a #42 going the other way at 10:12 that potentialy fits into the timeline (goes up Garstang Rd towards Churchtown so potential places to catch it outside the village for less visibility).

42 - Blackpool - Garstang - Morecambe

 

[infinit]

Here’s the full route on a different day from a camera on the 42 bus.

Footage at St Michael’s at 53:48

Looks like a passenger held camera tbh. Would the buses have dashcam?

I believe that is an Enviro400. Looking at the specs CCTV is an option but not standard.

https://wikibus.blob.core.windows.net/sources2534/Alexander%20Dennis%20Enviro%20400%20Specification.pdf

 

[penguinface]

Here’s the full route on a different day from a camera on the 42 bus.

Footage at St Michael’s at 53:48

Looks like a passenger held camera tbh. Would the buses have dashcam?

The CCTV cameras on UK buses are focused primarily on the inside of the bus and the passengers, so yes, that Youtuber has filmed the ride themselves with a handheld cam IMO.

 

[SteelyGlint]

Yes I've looked at those bus times as well. There was also a #42 going the other way at 10:12 that potentialy fits into the timeline (goes up Garstang Rd towards Churchtown so potential places to catch it outside the village for less visibility).

42 - Blackpool - Garstang - Morecambe

and these days you wouldn’t be considered out of place wearing a face mask.

 

[Teabag57]

Where is this underlined quote from? Thanks
Edited to say I underlined the quoted sentence.I am curious about the original source.

I think the poster meant that these are the type of things being said on SM,and other places, not a direct quote from anyone.

 

[jigzy]

I wonder if it is possible to cross the weir on foot. On Apple maps in particular it looks like it can be walked across, dependent on water flow/rainfall.
Did she usually wear those ankle-wellies on walks, I wonder.