Nicola Bulley‘s neighbour has described her friend as the mum you would hope to be. Charlotte Drake has spoken of the hell she has faced since Ms Bulley, 45, went missing near St Michael’s on Wyre almost three weeks ago.
Ms Drake said: “It’s been hell for us – for everybody. She’s touched so many. Her face is everywhere and we’re all just asking, ‘Where is she?'”
She also spoke of the surreal feeling she has experienced since the mortgage adviser, from Inskip, disappeared.
Speaking to Sky News, she said: “You’re just expecting to see her in the mornings.
“It just almost feels at the moment like time is stood still, until we know anything and find anything.
The search in Morecambe Bay has continued with officers on horseback having surveyed elevated paths in the village of Knott End-on-Sea on Monday.
Police extended the search for her body to the sea on Thursday after detectives said finding her “in the open sea becomes more of a possibility”.
Meanwhile, officers are still looking for clues near the bench on the riverbank where her phone was found still connected to a work call on the day she disappeared.
Lancashire Constabulary believes she fell into the river Wyre “in a 10-minute window” while walking her springer spaniel Willow on her usual morning walk after dropping her daughters – Harriet and Sophia – at school.
Ms Bulley had logged into a Microsoft Teams call at 9.01am, which ended at 9.30am with her phone still connected to the call.
She was seen by another dog walker at 9.10am – the last known sighting – and police traced telephony records of her mobile phone as it remained on a bench overlooking the river at 9.20am.
The device was found by a dog walker at around 9.35am, with Willow nearby.
Lancashire Constabulary says it does not think she came to any harm and had ruled out foul play.
A private investigator told Express.co.uk today that he believes Ms Bulley may still be alive.
The PI said the reported lack of evidence suggested she may not be dead.
It comes as Ms Bulley’s partner, Paul Ansell, 44, said he is appalled after the police reportedly failed to respond to his plea to hold a joint press conference.
He shared his frustrations with forensic expert Peter Faulding, who is supporting the family and has been involved in the search.
