Broken CCTV camera ‘would have seen everything’ in Nicola Bulley disappearance

Police are appealing for dashcam and doorbell camera footage which could shine a light on the mother-of-two’s whereabouts

The only broken CCTV camera in the area where Nicola Bulley disappeared “is the one that would have seen everything”, a friend of the missing dog walker has said.

The 45-year-old vanished last Friday while walking her dog along the River Wyre after dropping her two daughters, aged six and nine, at school nearby.

A week into the intensive search for Ms Bulley, Lancashire Police said that they were working on the theory that Ms Bulley had fallen into the river, and the force has consistenly stated that there are no signs of any third-party involvement in her disappearance.

Police have warned against online speculation in the case of missing dog walker Nicola Bulley (Family handout/PA)

The case has sparked an outpouring of empathy across the country, but also significant speculation, as Ms Bulley’s disappearance continues to confound police.

In an attempt to dispel misinformation, a friend of Ms Bulley’s named Tilly Ann has outlined 11 pieces of information she feels the public should know, which she shared in a Facebook post she said was backed by Ms Bulley’s family.

“There’s CCTV at the back of the caravan park. The only camera that isn’t working is the one that would have seen everything,” Ms Ann said.

Lancashire Police told The Mirror that they could not comment on specific parts of the enquiry, saying: “CCTV/dash cam footage etc is something the investigating team have been focusing on and we continue to ask the public’s help for that.”

Superintendent Sally Riley, who is leading the investigation, said last week that detectives had found no footage of Ms Bulley leaving the riverside area through most of the surrounding gates.

Map showing Nicola Bulley’s movements before she went missing (Datawrapper/The Independent)

“Several exits of the riverside area have CCTV covering them or exits are locked and therefore couldn’t have been passed through by Nicola,” is quoted as telling the Lancashire Evening Post.

“There’s only a very small area onto Garstang Lane toward the A586 which is not covered by CCTV and that’s why we’re appealing today for dashcam footage or for people who may have been walking on Garstang Lane or driving in the area to come forward if they can.’”

A close friend of Ms Bulley released new images from her doorbell camera on Sunday, showing Ms Bulley leaving her home on the morning of her disappearance.

Doorbell footage from a friend shows Nicola Bulley loading her car outside her home on 27 January (Emma White)

Police believe Ms Bulley went missing in just “a 10-minute window”, and the mortgage adviser’s phone was still connected to a Microsoft Teams call, which began at 9am, when it was discovered on a bench at the riverbank at around 9:35am, along with her dog’s lead.

The last-known sighting of her was by another dog walker at 9.10am, and police have traced telephony records of her mobile phone as it remained on the bench at 9.20am.

According to the police theory, Ms Bulley may have fallen into the river while retrieving a tennis ball for her dog.

However, her friend Emma White has rejected the idea that she would have been carrying a tennis ball, an assertion backed by Ms Ann, who said that Ms Bulley and her partner Paul Ansell “rarely” take the tennis ball out on walks with their dog Willow as she is “very protective” over it.

Lancashire Police said on Sunday – the 10th day of the search – that a “key witness” had come forward, a day after announcing they were trying to trace a woman who was seen pushing a pram nearby that morning.

“We must stress that she was very much being treated as a witness and was one of many people in St Michael's on Friday, January 27th,” the force said.

“Our enquiries to find Nicola are extensive and will include speaking to as many members of the public as possible.”