Nicola Bulley’s friends given new hope after ‘influx of calls’ to police a week after she went missing
Friends of missing woman Nicola Bulley say there’s still hope she can be found after fresh appeals at the scene led to an “influx of calls”.
Emma White told Sky News they were hoping for a “lightbulb moment” on Friday – exactly a week after she disappeared.
Friends and locals have been holding photos and placards of Ms Bulley by the roadside in the Lancashire village where she went missing.
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It appears to have had an effect, with the police getting a number of new calls by lunchtime.
“I can say it has received an influx of calls to 101,” said Ms White.
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Police believe Nicola Bulley fell into the River Wyre
“The liaison officer – Paul [Ms Bulley’s partner] has called him a short time ago – they’re looking into all the calls they’re receiving as we speak.
“The hope was diminishing today,” she told Sky News. “But after the news I’ve just heard, that torch of hope is shining again and given just a glimmer of hope that somebody knows something, has seen something.”
As the search continues and divers comb the river, Ms White said Ms Bulley’s two daughters were being kept busy with activities such as sleepovers, seeing friends and a school disco.
Paul Ansell, Ms Bulley’s partner, said this morning that he was “staying as strong as I can” and focusing on supporting “the girls”.
He said he kept playing “every scenario” in his head “around and around”, but admitted it was as if she had “vanished into thin air”.
Another friend, Heather Gibbons, said the disappearance was totally out of character and that Ms Bulley had arranged playdates for her children for the day after she went missing.
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‘I don’t know how I am coping’, says Ms Bulley’s partner
The mortgage adviser was last seen about 9.15am on 27 January on a path by the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre.
She had just dropped her two young daughters at school.
The 45-year-old’s phone was found on a bench, still connected to a work call, and her dog was running loose.
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Police said on Thursday that a potential witness had been identified – but the woman reportedly told the Daily Mail she hadn’t seen anything and had already spoken to police earlier in the week.
Officers are still treating the case as a missing person investigation and say there’s no evidence of outside involvement.
Ms Bulley walked from her children’s school to a path by the river. Pic: Google
On Thursday, Ms Bulley’s sister and father told Sky News they have been “stuck in a nightmare” since her disappearance and that “her children need her home”.
Louise Cunningham told Sky News: “We’re going round and round in circles trying to piece together what could have possibly happened.
“It’s like she’s just vanished into thin air. We just want her home, we need her home, her children need her home. It’s absolutely heartbreaking.”
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‘This has emptied our lives’
Her father Ernie Bulley, 73, spoke of the “pain” the “close-knit family” are feeling.
“This has just emptied our lives at the minute, we just feel so empty,” he said.
“We appreciate everything everyone is doing to find her. The police have been brilliant, the local community has been outstanding. But at the end of the day we just want her back.”
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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