Found Deceased UK - Nicola Bulley Last Seen Walking Dog Near River - St Michaels on Wyre (Lancashire) #5

[AgathapisdT]

How normal is it <modsnip - no link from an approved source> to walk your dog down the river? Whilst on a zoom call…
Even in big every company member meetings I like to sit and listen and concentrate, I’m not saying it’s the same for NB but it’s weird. Does the school have CCTV footage of her leaving the car?

Very normal and encouraged for fitness. Easy to concentrate whilst walking and probably an update call and unlikely that comment was needed.

 

[dharmasarc]

The abduction theory in the upper field is tricky for me based on the dog. They would have had to have placed the dog back at the bench. If so I’m not sure how easy that would be. The dog would not go willingly and would have surely run back to where they were, not stuck around the bench.

And the fact that the police have access to GPS data from the phone which can track in open sky to 2 metre accuracy.

 

[justicepeace]

In regards to headphones, on the MSM post I linked above, a friend stated that NB regularly listened to her phone on loudspeaker mode. Now this is what sways me away from opportunistic foul play. Would an opportunistic attacker approach, attack, restrain someone in broad day light in an open field essentially who is clearly on a video call, it would only be viable imo if the assailant knew she was muted, and her camera off.

OR - could it be she was signed into the call, so her boss could maybe see her presence, but as it wasn’t of much relevance to her she had it on mute/no sound coming from phone in that case. Not many people would admit to such a thing, but I have certainly done it on at least one occasion.

IF only NB had been engaging in the call, camera on, unmuted we wouldn’t be sitting here discussing this now. All the IFs and BUTs are difficult and must be torture for her family.

 

[annpats]

Changes things how?

In the sense that this seems very suspicious and may change the general thought if what happened.....

 

[justicepeace]

I agree and iam trying to reference this for most posts to confirm what is being said, the only issue is that the official police update does not include details about the phone being found on the bench at 09.20.The pinned forum post is the most accurate.IMO

UK - UK - Nicola Bulley Last Seen Walking Dog Near River - St Michaels on Wyre (Lancashire) #5

Lancashire Constabulary - MFH Nicola Bulley - latest update

Yes sorry I wasn’t insinuating you weren’t, I think most of us on here this morning are following facts. It’s easier to concentrate on the facts, imo.

 

[PeggyHenry]

Is this possible?
Nicola abducted / incapacitated on top field near Rowanwater. Maybe by someone she knew a bit? Perp takes NB and hides her (in bushes?), leaving phone on floor. Was dog on lead or loose? If loose this seems unlikely. If on lead, possible?

Perp takes dog to bench and leaves phone, dog and harness there.

Again, maybe unlikely- why would dog stay there?

Nicola leaving / taken from near bench seems more possible, fits better with behaviour of Willow.

But we can’t assume Nicola made it to the bench, we only know the dog and phone did.

I think that as nothing is currently making sense then this kind of theory is worth considering. I always look at what has happened in her life that is not usual.. e.g meeting her boss the evening before at Harding. <modsnip - no link> Was this usual bearing in mind there was a team meeting on Friday morning and the agents are spread far and wide. Nicola was upbeat, in the view of her parents and had got home from meeting and asked them to stay on so she could have a zoom meeting. She said this was re a new mortgage. Next morning she disappears. Had she arranged to meet someone staying at the lodges? On her morning walk? If there is foul play here, then events will have led up to this moment.

 

[Beginnersleuth]

There was a list of crimes reported in the area on an earlier thread - lots were allotment lane area, any sleuth better than me be able to find out the nature of these reported crimes?

 

[annpats]

I think the family’s stance that they don’t believe she fell into the river is understandable. Because if they accept that, she has died after all this time. Clinging onto an abduction theory gives them the hope she may still be able to be found alive.

I personally don't think she'll be found alive even if she has been abducted.
MOO.

 

[todders]

Yes sorry I wasn’t insinuating you weren’t, I think most of us on here this morning are following facts. It’s easier to concentrate on the facts, imo.

No i knew you were not you have nothing to be sorry about. Agree it is easier to follow what we know.IMO

 

[PeggyHenry]

The abduction theory in the upper field is tricky for me based on the dog. They would have had to have placed the dog back at the bench. If so I’m not sure how easy that would be. The dog would not go willingly and would have surely run back to where they were, not stuck around the bench.

Well springer spaniels are easy to handle .. they are lovely biddable dogs. Eager to please. However it would have been upset and agitated but still fairly easy to control. It would have been scared and handled accordingly. I think it being taken to the bench area fits the scenario because the dog doesn’t know how to get to Nicola do it just agitated between bench and gate

 

[JumpingFrog]

There was a list of crimes reported in the area on an earlier thread - lots were allotment lane area, any sleuth better than me be able to find out the nature of these reported crimes?

Sexual:

Crimes Committed Near Wyre Bank, St. Michaels, Preston, PR3 0UP in November 2022​

Date	Location	Latest Outcome
November 2022	On or near The Oaks	December 2022: Investigation complete; no suspect identified

Local Crime Information for Wyre Bank, St. Michaels, Preston, PR3 0UP - January 2025

View crime information around Wyre Bank, St. Michaels, Preston, PR3 0UP, including Anti-social behaviour, Theft, Burglary and Violent Crime in January 2025

www.streetcheck.co.uk

Find the drop down and search through the months - very frequently almost monthly reported

 

[curiousbeaver]

Hello, I’m a newbie. Hope you don’t mind me joining the forum.

Awful ordeal for all those involved.

I grew up in the countryside just outside St Michaels on Wyre, married in the church there but moved away 25+ years ago.

It seems as though there are an awful lot of buildings in the vicinity that are empty or may be unused at this time of year. It was reported in the MSM that all CCTV on the main exits etc was reviewed hence they seemed to downplay abduction theories. Apologies if this has already been raised but if there was 3rd party involvement, what time window were they looking at for the CCTV? Although the police were involved early in the timeline, it does not appear that any comprehensive searches were carried out of the empty/abandoned buildings in the area. In that case there could have been an opportunity for concealment for many hours or even days - perhaps even after CCTV was obtained.

 

[PeggyHenry]

Hello, I’m a newbie. Hope you don’t mind me joining the forum.

Awful ordeal for all those involved.

I grew up in the countryside just outside St Michaels on Wyre, married in the church there but moved away 25+ years ago.

It seems as though there are an awful lot of buildings in the vicinity that are empty or may be unused at this time of year. It was reported in the MSM that all CCTV on the main exits etc was reviewed hence they seemed to downplay abduction theories. Apologies if this has already been raised but if there was 3rd party involvement, what time window were they looking at for the CCTV? Although the police were involved early in the timeline, it does not appear that any comprehensive searches were carried out of the empty/abandoned buildings in the area. In that case there could have been an opportunity for concealment for many hours or even days - perhaps even after CCTV was obtained.

Yes it seems there was good opportunity for short term concealment. Welcome

 

[concerneduk]

Sexual:

Crimes Committed Near Wyre Bank, St. Michaels, Preston, PR3 0UP in November 2022​

Date	Location	Latest Outcome
November 2022	On or near The Oaks	December 2022: Investigation complete; no suspect identified

Local Crime Information for Wyre Bank, St. Michaels, Preston, PR3 0UP - January 2025

View crime information around Wyre Bank, St. Michaels, Preston, PR3 0UP, including Anti-social behaviour, Theft, Burglary and Violent Crime in January 2025

www.streetcheck.co.uk

Find the drop down and search through the months - very frequently almost monthly reported

OAK as i said is sign posted on path video 1/2 /3/4 way along

 

[JumpingFrog]

OAK as i said is sign posted on path video 1/2 /3/4 way along

Yeah it's a cul de sac of residences. Remember this says on or near to...

 

[GTB72]

Maybe they didn't find slip marks as she did one of those 'running falls' where you just can't stop yourself in time when going down a hill.

Interesting theory. Hadn't thought about that.

 

[justicepeace]

Hello, I’m a newbie. Hope you don’t mind me joining the forum.

Awful ordeal for all those involved.

I grew up in the countryside just outside St Michaels on Wyre, married in the church there but moved away 25+ years ago.

It seems as though there are an awful lot of buildings in the vicinity that are empty or may be unused at this time of year. It was reported in the MSM that all CCTV on the main exits etc was reviewed hence they seemed to downplay abduction theories. Apologies if this has already been raised but if there was 3rd party involvement, what time window were they looking at for the CCTV? Although the police were involved early in the timeline, it does not appear that any comprehensive searches were carried out of the empty/abandoned buildings in the area. In that case there could have been an opportunity for concealment for many hours or even days - perhaps even after CCTV was obtained.

Welcome to WS!

Thanks for your post, always useful to hear from someone that knows the area.

The police have stated that all CCTV available to them has been reviewed, no sighting of NB leaving those exits apart from one (allotment lane exit I believe) which we are now finding out the caravan site here has CCTV in and/or around it but it is not in working order. Or it may be that the exit does not and they are requesting dashcam footage from the public.

The time frame is tricky, a witness seen NB at 9:10am on the upper field and after this no sightings.

Can I ask, are you aware of locked gates around this area and if so have any idea if these would be private land or council. I think it’s useful to know who, if anyone, had access to these locked gates.

 

[I wonder]

Apologies for asking this, but everything seems very confusing.

Am I right when I say there is NO CCTV footage of Nicola and Willow that day?
If I'm right, why not?

Again, if there's no CCTV footage, are we essentially relying on witnesses who believe they saw her at the other side of the field?

One person said they saw Nicola across a field and their dogs interacted briefly. Why didn't the witness say that they and Nicola also interacted? This would be very important info. If they didn't wave etc, why not?

Nicola wasn't wearing an easily identifiable coat. We've got red coat lady and yellow coat lady. She's also petite.

When people say they saw her across a field, did they specifically identify Nicola, or was it Willow who was identified and an assumption made that it was Nicola with her?

She wasn't wearing a hat, yet in numerous photos released of her, she's wearing a woolly hat. It was cold, why didn't she wear her hat? What about gloves? Isn't it odd that the day she's assumed to have fallen in a river, she wasn't wearing a hat that could easily have come off and be found?

Everything that could come away from a body in a river and help with the investigation, was either left on or by the bench, or was left at home. It's bizarre.

 

[DetectiveLawless]

Welcome to WS!

Thanks for your post, always useful to hear from someone that knows the area.

The police have stated that all CCTV available to them has been reviewed, no sighting of NB leaving those exits apart from one (allotment lane exit I believe) which we are now finding out the caravan site here has CCTV in and/or around it but it is not in working order. Or it may be that the exit does not and they are requesting dashcam footage from the public.

The time frame is tricky, a witness seen NB at 9:10am on the upper field and after this no sightings.

Can I ask, are you aware of locked gates around this area and if so have any idea if these would be private land or council. I think it’s useful to know who, if anyone, had access to these locked gates.

Id say those locked gates may have changed over 25 years!

 

[todders]

i posted all of the crime stastistics yesterday morning for the area for anybody that is interested.

UK - UK - Nicola Bulley Last Seen Walking Dog Near River - St Michaels on Wyre (Lancashire) #4