'Has somebody got her?': Distraught parents of missing mum Nicola Bulley vow to never stop looking

1 February 2023, 14:29 | Updated: 1 February 2023, 20:31

Police are still searching for Ms Bulley
Police are still searching for Ms Bulley. Picture: Alamy/Handout

By Asher McShane

The distraught parents of missing mum Nicola Bulley have told of their fears as the search for her continues, asking “has somebody got her?”

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Her parents, Ernest, 73 and Dot, 72 told The Mirror: “We will never stop looking for her.”

They said she was in good spirits last time they spoke and that her disappearance was totally out of character.

Her dad said there was 'no sign' of her having fallen in the river. Ernest said: "There was no sign of a slip or falling in so our thought was 'has somebody got her'?

Talking about their last conversation, her dad said: “"She had done her work and she was very upbeat about getting her mortgage sorted.

"I said we better go now and Nicola came to the front door, and I gave her a kiss and told her I loved her and that was the last conversation I had with her."

Police and sniffer dogs are searching the perimeter of an 'abandoned' old house in the hunt for her.

It comes after it emerged Nicola's daughters heard the devastating news their mum had gone missing when their dad told them “mummy’s lost.”

Nicola’s daughters broke down in tears at the news and a friend of hers said: “We just want her home.”

Nicola has been missing for five days now, after she vanished while walking her dog on a towpath by the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.

Her phone was on a bench near the spot she went missing, still dialled into a business call.

Ms Bulley's mum told the Sun: “Paul had to tell the girls what was going on. He just told them, ''Mummy's lost''. It's heartbreaking.”

An abandoned house has been searched as part of the hunt for missing mum Nicola.

Kev Camplin of Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue told The Mirror: "The abandoned house is right opposite the bench on the other side of the river, over a 10ft garden wall.

"We didn’t go into the house, as a volunteer search and rescue team we don’t actually go into buildings. We might go into a barn or something. We leave that to the police.

"While the team was searching the grounds, the owner was there for some reason, and we asked him to go in and he had a quick look around and she wasn’t there."

Earlier on Tuesday, Lancashire Police had appealed to find a witness who was believed to have been in the area at the time mother-of-two Nicola Bulley, 45, was last seen.

She went missing last Friday morning, with her mobile phone found on a bench near to where she was last seen on a towpath by the River Wyre in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire.

Immediately before going missing, Ms Bulley was walking her dog, springer spaniel Willow, who was found loose between the river and bench.

A police spokesman said of the potential witness: "He has since been located and is currently being spoken to.

"Our thanks to those who shared our appeal."

Read more: 'Her two little girls need their mummy home': partner of missing mum Nicola Bulley describes family's 'perpetual hell'

Read more: Woman, 45, who went missing while walking dog ‘was on work conference call when she disappeared’

The location of the bench it is believed that Ms Bulley left her mobile phone on before she vanished on Friday
The location of the bench it is believed that Ms Bulley left her mobile phone on before she vanished on Friday. Picture: Google Maps

Earlier police had said the man, who was walking a small white fluffy dog on a lead, had spoken to a woman in the area who found Ms Bulley's dog, before he walked in the direction of Rowanwater.

Police have said they are keeping an "open mind" about what happened, but do not believe Ms Bulley was attacked.

In a statement, her family said: "We have been overwhelmed by the support from our community and would like to thank everyone for their ongoing efforts to help us find Nicola.

"The girls are desperate to have their mummy back home safe with them and your ongoing efforts have provided comfort to them whilst we await news on Nicola.

"We ask for anyone who thinks they may have any information that may help the police find Nicola to please come forward and help them with their inquiries."

A search of the area involving police specialist resources, the Coastguard and Bowland Mountain Rescue is continuing.

"Bit spooky too!"
"Bit spooky too!". Picture: Social media
Officers from Lancashire Police searching for missing woman Nicola Bulley
Officers from Lancashire Police searching for missing woman Nicola Bulley. Picture: Alamy

Ms Bulley is described as white, 5ft 3in, with light brown, shoulder-length hair.

At the time of her disappearance she was wearing a long black gilet jacket with a hood, black jeans and olive green ankle wellington boots.

Superintendent Sally Riley said: "We remain extremely concerned for Nicola and we continue to do everything we can to try and find her and to provide some answers for her family, who are obviously beside themselves with worry.

"I must stress at this time that this remains a missing person inquiry and at this time there is nothing to suggest any third-party involvement in Nicola's disappearance.

Nicola Bulley disappeared in St Michael's on Wyre
Nicola Bulley disappeared in St Michael's on Wyre. Picture: Google Maps

"We appreciate there is also a great deal of concern in the local community, and we appreciate people want to help. However, parts of the riverbank are treacherous, and we would ask that nobody puts themselves in danger and that the police and partner agencies' efforts to find Nicola are not compromised.

"If anybody has any questions or concerns, they are welcome to speak to officers in the area."

Anyone who has seen Ms Bulley, or has information about where she might be, is asked to call 101, quoting log 565 of January 30, or call 999 if they have an immediate sighting.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Amber Rudd and Mary Beard have both been nominated to the Garrick Club

Amber Rudd and Mary Beard among seven women nominated for membership of all-male Garrick Club

Exclusive
Anneliese Dodds said Labour would make sure local people have 'skin in the game' with tackling inequality

'Rebuild has to start from ground up,' Labour's Anneliese Dodds says, and 'local people must have skin in the game'

Mohamed Mansour has been awarded a knighthood

Conservatives accused of 'cronyism' after donor who gave £5 million awarded knighthood in surprise honours list

Exclusive
Justin Welby recalled his experience of coping with his father's drinking as a teenager.

‘It was utterly isolating’: Archbishop of Canterbury recalls harrowing experience of growing up with his alcoholic father

More than 2 million drivers are set to hit the road on Good Friday.

Easter Carmageddon: Over two million drivers to hit the road on Good Friday after Storm Nelson travel chaos

Michael Gove has slammed the water firm as a 'disgrace'.

Thames Water bosses branded a ‘disgrace’ as Michael Gove tells firm ‘not to punish consumers’ for its failings

South Africa Bus Crash

Girl, 8, the sole survivor as 45 die in bus crash off South Africa bridge

A spokesman has denied reports the sausage dog could be banned.

The wurst news is over: Germany denies claims of sausage dog ban

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Greece Confidence Vote

Greece’s government survives no-confidence motion called over rail disaster

A council has had to apologise following the incident.

Fury as parents offered version of school class photo without complex needs pupils

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash in Limpopo

Bus falls from bridge in South Africa and erupts into flames, killing at least 45 and leaving child, 8, as lone survivor

Music-Green Day UN

Green Day to headline UN-backed global climate concert

Exclusive
Starmer has vowed to resurrect Boris Johnson's 'Levelling Up' policy

Failure to ‘level up’ Britain would be ‘catastrophic’, Wes Streeting admits, as Starmer vows to resurrect Johnson policy