Nicola Bulley: Missing dog walker would ‘never leave her two girls’, says friend
A missing mother-of-two who vanished while walking her dog would never leave her children, a family friend has said.
Nicola Bulley was last seen on Friday at around 9.15am on a towpath by the River Wyre off Garstang Road in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire.
Her mobile phone was found on a bench nearby and was still connected to a conference call when it was spotted.
Ms Bulley’s dog, a springer spaniel called Willow, was found loose between the river and bench.
Nicola Bulley was last seen on Friday
Ms Bulley with her partner Paul Ansell
Her partner of 12 years, Paul Ansell, has said “the girls are desperate to have their mummy back home safe with them”.
Heather Gibbons, a friend, told Sky News: “You go from being hopeful to heartbroken, and just trying to be strong, because all we want is to find her for her girls and for Paul.”
She added: “You want to hold on to the hope that no news is good news.
“But knowing Nikki, we just know that if she could be at home with her girls, we very firmly believe that’s where she would be. Her family are everything.”
Lancashire Police say they are ‘extremely concerned’ about Ms Bulley’s welfare
Another friend, Emma White, described Ms Bulley as “the kindest, beautiful, lovely human being inside and out”, adding that her partner, Paul, was “being strong as possible” for the couple’s two children, aged nine and six.
“We don’t know why she’s gone missing, where she is, we just want her home,” she said.
Ms Bulley was walking her dog near the River Wyre when she disappeared
The search for the 45-year-old mortgage adviser entered its sixth day on Wednesday, while detectives investigating her disappearance question a “potentially key” witness.
The 70-year-old is believed to have been in the area at the time Ms Bulley went missing.
A major search involving police dive teams, drones, firefighters and mountain rescue volunteers continues.
Friends and family have also been part of a widespread community search.
Officers have said they are “extremely concerned” for Ms Bulley’s welfare, but stressed the investigation still remains a missing person inquiry and there is nothing, at the moment, to suggest third-party involvement in her disappearance.
A major search is ongoing to find the missing 45-year-old
She is originally from Chelmsford, Essex and has lived in Lancashire for 25 years.
Police said she speaks with an Essex accent.
She is described as white, 5ft 3ins tall, with light brown shoulder-length hair.
Ms Bulley was last seen wearing a long black gilet jacket with a hood, black jeans and olive green ankle wellies. Her hair was tied into a ponytail.
As well as Inskip and St Michael’s on Wyre, she also has links to Thornton Cleveleys.
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
Read more from Sky News:
Ten Reform councillors quit in protest
Liz Truss sends cease and desist letter to Starmer
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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