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

[Blondiexoxo]

If someone confronted Nicola about Willow being off the lead and there was an argument, not necessarily a violent confrontation but a few cross words exchanged. Could she have been pushed away, not meaning for her to go in the river but just how you push someone away in an argument? Then lost her footing and ended up in the river.

If someone was fed up with dogs being off the lead, they could have been very angry to see Willow that morning and decided to confront Nicola. If she was pushed away then ended up losing her footing on the steep slope, she could have gone into the water without anyone seeing. All they’d have to do is tie willow up with the lead, and then walk away. But Willow ended up breaking free and that’s why the lead was found on the floor?

This could have happened very quickly, within seconds. And would mean she is in the water like the police believe, but that there was 3rd party involvement, however she did not leave the area that morning. All MOO

 

[Beginnersleuth]

There’s a lot of trust in the initial people who found the phone & Willow.
If they’re right that Willow was agitated between bench & gate/turnstile area feels that is the area she last saw NB or someone else she knew.
The phone would be easy ish to plant, the dog less so & esp the dogs reaction.
If phone not planted and NB was there with it, seems like she’s been in the process of thinking about getting the harness back on, maybe been interrupted in a non aggressive way & she’s left the dog for a second the bench side of the turnstile & gone the other side, but never come back.
Wonder if possible to go/be taken overground and towards the caravan park and out via the non-cctv covered entrance.
There must’ve been lots of to & fro at the point after the alarm was raised. Cars coming & going.

 

[Awakening]

I wonder if she stumbled and tripped over the dog or harness and fell into the river.

 

[Bluesleuth66]

She’d been spotted in both fields so it looked as though she was on her way back and for whatever reason she stopped before the gate to the tow path

If she was headed back to the car from the field it would be logical to stop at the bench (just before going through the gate onto the narrow path) to put the dogs harness back on, put the phone down etc. At that point one can come up with all sorts of theories as to what happened but it seems clear the harness was never reattached for whatever reason (dog running about?) and NB possibly somehow falls in the river. Looking at images of the river, however, I'm very surprised if she's in there that no evidence has been found.

 

[Sandyuk]

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.

Unless the dog knew the person and that person left through the gate ? MOO

 

[JeremyBentham]

Looking at the photos of the bank, it’s not just mud. There’s a fair bit of grass and weed. Someone could easily walk down and fall in without leaving any noticeable markings. I think people are expecting an obvious slip from height. But she may well have have been leaning over and lost her balance.

 

[Ellsbells]

Great link.

This has given me chills:

“11 – There's CCTV at the back of the caravan park. The only camera that isn't working is the one that would have seen everything”

The caravan park has come up a lot. And to now know it had the camera that held all the information and that wasn’t working just changes things for me. MOO.

don't see anything suspicious about a camera not working at the time, probably not working quite a lot. <modsnip - off topic>

 

[Petrocelli]

Very easy to lose your balance when crouching down to put a dog harness on. I do it all the time.
Plus if you going to stage a river fall wouldn’t you throw a wellie or something in the water.

 

[Blamhappy]

She could have been targetted on the footpath before the bench which is more secluded. We don't know that the bench area was where she was last.

It doesn't make sense that the dog was near the bench then. And her phone. I'm open to ideas, but considering an abduction means we have to come up with creative, convoluted explanations.

 

[DetectiveLawless]

It doesn't make sense that the dog was near the bench then. And her phone. I'm open to ideas, but considering an abduction means we have to come up with creative, convoluted explanations.

Where was it reported that the dog was found near the bench? I thought it was said the dog was futher ahead in the upper field?

 

[Belleville]

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. He drove over from Keighley area ( is there a source for this?). 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.

Why would she arrange to meet someone if she was on a conference call? Non of the witnesses saw anybody else. She's a well known dog walker in the area.

 

[Sarahlou]

Where was it reported that the dog was found near the bench? I thought it was said the dog was futher ahead in the upper field?

The dog was between the bench and gate. They said in the press conference

 

[Ellsbells]

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

i don't either. too long has elapsed.

 

[Blamhappy]

Where was it reported that the dog was found near the bench? I thought it was said the dog was futher ahead in the upper field?

Redirect Notice

It's stated clearly in this article. The harness, phone, and dog were found at the bench. An abduction scenario would involve a convoluted series of events and, for me, it doesn't make any sense.

 

[Ellsbells]

The dog was between the bench and gate. They said in the press conference

i keep wondering about this. was the dog hovering near the gate because that was where it had seen her owner last go through, and she had been told to "stay"?

 

[kittythehare]

Redirect Notice

It's stated clearly in this article. The harness, phone, and dog were found at the bench. An abduction scenario would involve a convoluted series of events and, for me, it doesn't make any sense.

The article is inaccurate just like a lot of articles are in this case sadly

 

[jackal67]

IMO they need to be focussing on the area in/around the top field, not the bench and the river. As that's the last time she was 'seen'. Anyone could have put the phone and harness near/on a bench. No one saw her near the bench as of yet from what's been released.

MOO.

I am pretty sure all areas where NB was reportedly seen by witnesses and her usual walking routes will have already been searched thoroughly. Friends and family and villagers have also been out searching daily.

 

[EyeSpyU]

You’d have hefty boot impression I think. Even if only a couple. Unless it was a literal dive from the top. I’m the same height as Nicola too. 5ft3 people don’t have v long legs so if a running fall would be a few footsteps (vs tall person longer legs). And not sure a 5ft3 fall/dive could clear the area.
I’m just imagining my v clumsy self in that position.
Walking down to get closer would also leave marks. Unless they were there but not full attention paid at the time?

There’s overgrown long weeds and fallen leaves all over the area between the bench and river. If Nikki rushed close to the edge due to Willow being in danger, there’s be no skid marks, especially is she toppled down the small steep bank.

 

[EyeSpyU]

There would still be indications of disturbance on the bank. <modsnip - "I heard..." is not an approved source>

Not necessarily. Some of that overgrown straw-like weed would not stay flattened by a slipping foot.

 

[LockHart]

The Lancashire police have not released any cctv of Nicola Bulley entering the fields. They must have cctv of her somewhere on the morning of the 27 January. At the school where she dropped off her two daughters. Cctv of her then walking her dog Willow. Over the bridge into the fields. Etc, etc, etc. So far we only have reports of her from people she met on her walk. No pictures. No CCTV.