Dive specialist says knowing Nicola Bulley was ‘high risk’ would have ‘changed our whole search’
The dive specialist who has been helping police in the hunt for Nicola Bulley says knowing the missing mum was “high risk” would have “changed our whole search”.
Peter Faulding, chief executive of search team Specialist Group International, told Sky News police in Lancashire never made him aware that Ms Bulley had issues with her mental health.
Asked if having that information would have impacted his search, he said: “It would certainly change my search because, from day one, I’ve said this case is so baffling because water at the bottom of the bank at the point where Nicola’s phone and the dog’s harness were found was only two feet deep.
“If she’d have fallen in she would have landed on rocks, she would not have drowned. That’s what has baffled me.”
Mr Faulding said he remained in contact with Paul Ansell, Ms Bulley’s partner, and her family – who released a statement today calling for “wild theories” about her personal life to stop.
He added: “We thoroughly searched that piece of river as we have been tasked by the police.
“If somebody tries to drown themselves or if they are in a strange state of mind they might just wander off somewhere. She might be lying in a ditch, she could have wandered into the woods.
“So that’s the point with a vulnerable person, you don’t know where they’re going to go. It would have changed our whole search.”
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Specialist Group International searching for missing woman Nicola Bulley
Police officers near the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire
Explaining further, he added: “If she had slipped, even if she had gone into deep water she would have been found.
“She would have gone in roughly where she drowned. That is what we find on average with the drownings and suicides we deal with each year – they’re normally found within a couple of metres of where they go down.
“If she was trying to drown herself she may have drifted and potentially gone over the weir, but the police divers searched that area very thoroughly on the day she went missing and there was no sign of her. And that’s why I said this was a baffling case.”
‘A very cruel thing to do’
Asked what he thought about the police releasing personal information about Ms Bulley’s mental state, he said he’d never before seen such information disclosed.
Mr Faulding said that even as a person involved in the search he would normally just be told the individual was “high risk” and not be told specifics of what troubles the missing person was struggling with.
He added: “Normally when you’re searching for a high risk person you just get the information that they’re high risk and that’s it. That’s enough to tell us that someone may harm themselves or come to some harm.
“That’s as a searcher.
“The way it has been released to the media should not have been done. I’ve been getting calls from senior police officers asking what is going on.”
He added that, in his view, the family would be “devastated” that information about the missing mum’s struggles with alcohol had been made public, calling it “a very cruel thing to do”.
However, in a statement released through the police on Thursday, Ms Bulley’s family said they were aware of the police’s plans to release her personal information.
They said the police “know the truth about Nikki”.
Reputation ‘destroyed’ by police revelations
Speaking before the family released the statement, former detective Martyn Underhill said that Lancashire Police have “completely destroyed” Ms Bulley’s reputation by revealing her struggles with alcohol.
He told Sky News that he had never “seen such a level of detail” released in a missing persons case and added that one had to ask why officers were releasing it now.
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Police ‘completely destroyed Nicola Bulley’s reputation’
Speaking to Sky’s Kay Burley, Mr Underhill, who was a detective involved in the Sarah Payne case in 2000, said he was “confused” by Lancashire Police’s strategy.
“You can understand why some people are saying it’s victim blaming to protect their own reputation, ” he said.
“I can’t see how it progresses the case any further forward now we’re three weeks in, to be frank.”
Assistant Chief Constable Peter Lawson (left) and Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith of Lancashire Police update the media in St Michael’s on Wyre
Having apparently found no trace of the mother-of-two for more than 20 days, police yesterday revealed that they had classified Ms Bulley as “high risk” owing to “a number of specific vulnerabilities”.
After initially refusing to elaborate on what those vulnerabilities were at a press conference, Lancashire Police subsequently released a statement saying: “Nicola had in the past suffered with some significant issues with alcohol which were brought on by her ongoing struggles with the menopause and that these struggles had resurfaced over recent months.”
“This caused some real challenges for Paul and the family,” it added in a reference to Ms Bulley’s partner, Paul Ansell.
‘Unprecedented’ search fails to solve baffling case
Detectives also revealed that they had been at Ms Bulley’s house the week before she disappeared to check her welfare.
Ms Bulley has been missing since 27 January after vanishing when she took her dog Willow for a walk by the River Wyre in Lancashire.
She was last seen at 9.10am that day, after taking her usual route with her springer spaniel, alongside the river.
Her phone, still connected to a work call for her job as a mortgage adviser, was found just over 20 minutes later on a bench overlooking the riverbank, with her dog running loose.
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Missing Nicola ‘had alcohol issues’
Since she vanished, huge public and media interest has resulted in what police described as “false information, accusations and rumours”.
Police insist an “unprecedented” search – of both the River Wyre, downstream to Morecambe Bay and miles of neighbouring farmland – has taken place to find her.
England and Scotland fans have found out where their World Cup group games will be played when the tournament kicks off in June.
England, who are in Group L, will begin their tournament against Croatia in Dallas at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 17 June. They will then go on to face Ghana in Boston at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 23 June and Panama in New Jersey, New York, at 5pm EST (10pm BST) on 27 June.
Scotland are in Group C, and their first match will be against Haiti in Boston at 9pm EST on 13 June (2am GMT the following morning).
They will go up against Morocco also in Boston at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 19 June and then Brazil in Miami at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 24 June.
Fans are expected to rush to sort their travel and accommodation plans now that they know where and when the matches take place.
Read more: Unapologetically political – a World Cup draw like no other
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England and Scotland learn World Cup fate
Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to find out if they will qualify.
Wales must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.
If they beat these play-off opponents, they will secure their place in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
However, Northern Ireland will also be vying to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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World Cup 2026 – who England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will play
Scotland and England now know who they will face in the group stage of the next summer’s world cup.
But the fates of Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Wales won’t be determined until they compete in pre-tournament play-off matches in March.
England are in Group L along with Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Their first match will be against Croatia, who beat them in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Pic: Reuters
Scotland’s first match will be against Haiti, in Group C.
Brazil and Morocco are the other Group C teams – both countries were also in the same opening group as Scotland in the 1998 World Cup in France.
Trump and Infantino at the World Cup draw
Wales have yet to find out if they will qualify as they must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, and then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.
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If they can overcome these play-off opponents then they will secure their place in Group B along with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. But Northern Ireland will also be vying and hoping to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw
The Republic of Ireland also need to get through the play-offs first and are paired against the Czech Republic for their semi-final. Should Ireland win that match, they will need to beat either North Macedonia or Denmark to get to the finals where an opening group containing joint hosts Mexico, South Africa and South Korea awaits.
This was a World Cup draw like no other. Crafted less for the teams but for one man.
The choice of venue. The creation of a new trophy. The closing music act.
Donald Trump was lavished with the adulation he craves by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and feels others unfairly deny him.
Knowing how much being overlooked by the Nobel Committee hurt the US president, there was Mr Infantino with FIFA’s newly-created Peace Prize to hand over. And a medal for Mr Trump to wear.
“This is truly one of the great honours of my life,” he said. “And beyond awards, Gianni and I were discussing this. We saved millions and millions of lives.”
This was all on the stage in front of an audience who turned up to find out who they will be playing at the World Cup.
England handed an undaunting route past Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Scotland paired with newcomers Haiti before tricky reunions from their last men’s World Cup in 1998 against Brazil and Morocco.
Pic: Reuters
But the show before the draw could even begin – presided over by Rio Ferdinand – took almost as long as a football match, at 87 minutes after the noon kick-off was delayed.
There was a walk of self-promotion to complete – “I guess they have to wait” – before taking his seat in the Kennedy Center. Or the Trump Kennedy Center as the president takes to calling the venue picked 1.5 miles from the White House.
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England manager Thomas Tuchel reacts to draw
“It was falling apart,” he said, delaying the walk into the auditorium. “And now it’s, it’s pretty much back.”
Mr Infantino could only watch on, beaming, at his friend.
“We had a dead country,” Mr Trump went on, “and now we have the hottest country anywhere in the world”.
There was the awkwardness of being reminded, before receiving the peace accolade, about threats to launch military strikes on Venezuela to stop the drugs trade.
“I did settle eight wars, and we have a ninth coming,” he swatted away the question. “Which nobody’s ever done before. But I want to really save lives. I don’t need prizes.”
But FIFA knew how much he wanted more gold for the collection with the prize.
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What draw means for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland
Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Pic: Reuters
Pic: Reuters
And for all the mockery and disdain targeted at FIFA, how many sports would relish having the US president spend several hours attending a procedural event determining the placing of teams in groups for a tournament?
How many would dish out the same flattery to secure direct lines to the leader of the nation staging their championship?
Many have benefited from Mr Trump’s stardust and swagger being attached to this spectacle.
Even Port Vale’s most famous fan – Robbie Williams – secured a walk-on role, exceeding his profile this side of the Pond.
And the Village People are reaping the rewards of becoming the unlikeliest of Trump hype acts.
The festivities ended with eyes fixed back up to the presidential seating and the YMCA dance being performed.
This was an afternoon that dispelled any pretence that FIFA keeps a distance from politics. It was unapologetically political. But few speak out in the FIFA world as the redistributed wealth keeps rolling back in their direction.
It would be easy to forget this isn’t entirely America’s World Cup. They’re sharing hosting with Canada and Mexico.
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‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw
And eventually the spotlight was ceded to their leaders – very briefly – as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney drew out their countries’ names.
But it did live up to FIFA’s mantra that football can unite the world.
The neighbours were brought together here on a snowy day in Washington. And tensions – often stoked by Mr Trump with Canada and Mexico – thawed in the name of football.
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