Found Deceased UK - Nicola Bulley Last Seen Walking Dog Near River - St Michaels on Wyre (Lancashire) #8

[martinwatts5]

In my opinion, when you look at the bench from the side angle, you can see how quickly the land starts to slope down - soon after the concrete. The bench is in a bad position but that’s another story.

 

[steelo]

Brilliant points SS.
1. I agree, if the lead and harness were there surely it would have made more sense to use these. Did they not see them? String seems odd and string can be very think would a dog not be able to break free from string or chew through it? I wonder if it was rope and not string.
2. Was the person who first found Willow walking their own dog? Could they have had some form of rope on them (perhaps and extension for a lead for their own dog)? Was it when the first person found Willow that Willow was distressed or was it when the second person went to the bench (a considerable period of time after) that the dog was distressed? Hardly surprising after being tied up. Did any of them contact the dog warden or the Police given that the phone was also there and still connected to a conference call which had ended?
3. I agree, the period of time that passed and well over an hour is significant. I wonder if the first person who contacted the other one possibly left a message on voicemail which might not have been retrieved right away. Could this explain the amount of time that passed by?

Where is it stated that string was used to tie up the dog?

 

[jackal67]

Wait. It was at the 9:33 timeline - not the 10:50 one. Though since the only sources we have are third or even 4th party there could well be some discrepancy - so much so that the police don't even mention him now.

So, was the 'man that came through after her' following the 9:33 lady who was first on the scene, or was he following the daughter-in-law of 9:33 lady and he arrived at 10:50?

And do we know that he actually exists. Or was it just hearsay third hand information. Not seen him mentioned by LE

 

[wackyw]

Same here! I'm rural and wouldn't have a clue where to find string indoors....and definitely don't make a habit of carrying it around outside - even when walking our own dogs here in the countryside.

DBM - mods telling me not to joke on missing threads. Understood.

 

[Lady Stoddart-West]

The whole thing is a mess now, if there is third party involvement the crime scene has been disturbed by hundreds of footprints.

We now have people coming from all parts of the country like it's a tourist attraction, the whole area should have been cornered off. What's also worse is that the police speculated from Day one that Nikki drowned in the river with no firm evidence that we are aware of. They should not have ruled out third party involvement as we know there is one path that has no CCTV.

They have information we are not privy too and therein may lie the issue. I think it MAY be a really difficult situation for them.

 

[JeremyBentham]

The string is strange, but I'm not sure it changes much, does it? As this person will have been thoroughly investigated and ruled out. Plus the police would have known this from day 1.

 

[Fishwick]

Where is it stated that string was used to tie up the dog?

Non-official source. Friend's Facebook page.

 

[Lady Stoddart-West]

And do we know that he actually exists. Or was it just hearsay third hand information. Not seen him mentioned by LE

NB: 'bench anomalies' quotes from interviews. The bench is the focal point, the (useful?) anchor. They are in a very difficult situation indeed, potentially.

 

[todders]

Could this of been what the witness tied willow up with on the left hand side of the bench? Picture from the 5-2-23.IMO.

 

[MrsWatson]

Could someone please provide an approved MSM link that says the dog was tied with string?

TIA!

 

[Pinkizzy]

When was the old man and the dog seen walking near the river? I think he was heading towards Rowanwater.

 

[Sleepyface]

I think sadly NB, or items of clothing will be found in the reeds along the riverbanks in the coming weeks. PF's sonar can't scan areas of vegetation so it's impossible to fully declare the river clear.

 

[Justice_4_Holly]

Could this of been what the witness tied willow up with on the left hand side of the bench? Picture from the 5-2-23.IMO.
View attachment 401261

Wow, good catch. From what my aged eyes can see there’s a leash that’s tied under the bench and comes to the side. Yeah, that would be a viable place to tie the dog (if you made a loop where a harness or collar would attach).

 

[Blamhappy]

So this witness at 9.33am found the phone and dog and it then took another hour for the husband to turn up. What were people doing?! There didn't seem a great urgency did there.

Nope. It sounds like no one was particularly worried initially. Probably assumed that the owner was doing a wee behind a bush or otherwise momentarily occupied. Her partner was immediately concerned, once alerted.

 

[Lady Stoddart-West]

I was just saying that the Supt DID say that it was not cordoned off due to being a “beauty spot” live on TV, which is why some people keep bringing it up. But she clearly didn’t understand the question from the reporter, she corrected herself after they asked again. She said she thought they were asking why it wasn’t cordoned off as a SAFETY measure to stop people falling at first. Then she said it was processed on the first day.

No you are spot on, that's right. She also said there wasn't a 'police' cordon in that because this was a tragic rather than criminal case, not a crime scene, I will amend a later post to reflect.

My point remains though, it wasn't considered necessary to 'forensicate' it, as this was unnecessary they felt. In the interview I've listened to (x2) she suggests they didn't view it as a crime scene. Where does she say it was processed on the first day? Be good to hear/see. Many thanks.

 

[martinwatts5]

Now I have seen how quickly the slope starts from the bench, in my opinion Nicola would not have to move forward very far to try to put the harness on the dog to be in trouble, unfortunately leaving the harness on the floor and Nicola in the water. It is strange that the fall has left no marks but LE obviously don’t think this is completely unusual.

 

[rosieposie121]

Was partner at home at the time? Did I hear they both work from home?

 

[SuzyQ70]

Could this of been what the witness tied willow up with on the left hand side of the bench? Picture from the 5-2-23.IMO.
View attachment 401261

With the position of the gate i can now see how easy it would be for someone to attack from behind if you were sitting on the bench.

 

[ginnyw]

This gets weirder by the minute. This is what the woman who found Willow originally said:

"The dog looked worried so I tied her up and rushed home as I had to go to an appointment. I then went and spoke to my daughter-in-law and she immediately knew who the dog was, alerted the woman's partner and that was it - the police were on it."

Note the 'immediately' there and the implied speedy phone call to PA. So why was it well over an hour before PA turned up at the bench?????

Passerby raised alarm after finding missing mum's 'worried' dog wandering alone

The unnamed business owner spotted Nicola Bulley's brown springer spaniel Willow running free and also found her mobile phone on a bench by the side of the river on Friday

www.mirror.co.uk

 

[Fishwick]

Was partner at home at the time? Did I hear they both work from home?

I believe that I've heard friends say he was, and is on CCTV. Don't think police have commented on it as he's not a POI.