Nicola Bulley cops to give press conference this afternoon as police say they need more time to identify body in river
POLICE will hold a press conference this evening after a body was found barely a mile from where Nicola Bulley vanished.
Cops today sent out a statement revealing they needed more time to identify the body found in the river yesterday.
The cops quickly raced to close off the area around 11am after two dog walkers came across remains in the River Wyre.
The section of river where the tragic discovery was made is not far from where the missing mum was last seen more than three weeks ago.
Nicola, 45, disappeared in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, at around 9.15am on January 27.
Police yesterday said no formal identification had been carried out so were unable to say whether the remains belong the mum-of-two.
In a statement today, Lancashire Police said that was still the case as “procedures to identify the body are ongoing“.
They have now confirmed they will hold a press conference at 5.30pm.
It will be led by Assistant Chief Constable Peter Lawson.
The mum-of-two’s family is still waiting for answers, but it could be days before they find out if the body belongs to her.
They may also be called in to identify the body.
In a statement today, Lancashire Police said: “Yesterday morning, Sunday, 19 February, you may be aware of police activity around the river near to St Michael’s.
“We want to provide you with an update on that activity.
“We were called today at 11:36am to reports of a body in the River Wyre, close to Rawcliffe Road.
“An underwater search team and specialist officers have subsequently attended the scene, entered the water and have sadly recovered a body.
“No formal identification has yet been carried out, so we are unable to say whether this is Nicola Bulley at this time.
“Procedures to identify the body are on-going.
It comes as…
- The horrified witness’ first words after spotting a women’s body in the river were revealed
- Nicola’s family could be waiting days to find out if the body pulled from the river is hers
- A former cop claims we’ll never know what happened to Nicola
- The missing mum’s partner shares how he and their children are coping
- Inside the police’s search for the 45-year-old
- A former cop claims there are “two possibilities” as to why a body has only just been found
- Nicola Bulley’s family may be called in to identify the body
- A map has revealed the exact spot the body was found
“We are currently treating the death as unexplained.
“Nicola’s family have been informed of developments and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult of times.
“We ask that their privacy is respected.”
Meanwhile, a map and photos have shown exactly where the body was found, less than a mile away from where the missing mum was last seen.
It was said to have been on the edge of the river, in undergrowth, when first seen by members of the public.
And the horrified witness’ first words to the cops have been revealed.
The man, who appeared pale, could be seen pointing to the area along the bank.
He can then be heard saying: “It was a body. It is down there.
“It was a body of a woman. There is definitely a body down there.”
Nicola’s partner Paul broke his silence after the body was found and said he had “no words right now, just agony”.
Other members of the mum’s family were said to be feeling “heartbroken“, and bracing for “the worst possible news“.