Nicola Bulley’s partner feels ‘lack of willpower’ among police investigating disappearance

Paul Ansell ‘appalled’ after police ignored his suggestions, forensic expert says

Nicola Bulley’s partner Paul Ansell spoke out about his growing dissatisfaction with the police’s hunt for the missing mother of two, according to a forensic expert.

Mr Ansell, 44, vented his frustration with forensic expert Peter Faulding whose team is aiding the search, saying he is “frustrated” with police and feels a lack of “imagination and willpower” among them.

Police have been searching for the 45-year-old mortgage adviser who disappeared while walking her dog in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, after dropping off her two daughters, aged six and nine, at school on 27 January.

On Wednesday, the Lancashire police will hold their first press conference in eight days to finally give updates to the family and public as frustration continues to mount over her disappearance.

Mr Faulding told the Daily Mail about his conversation with Mr Ansell: “He’s got a relationship with the police family liaison officers, but I think he’s struggling to get answers that he wants.”

He said Mr Ansell got a line of communication with the police, “but I think there’s a problem”.

“He vented his frustrations to the family liaison officers last week in front of me when I was there. He said ‘Why can’t you go and search buildings in the village?’ They said they can’t because they need a search warrant. He said ‘Well, you could just ask them.’ People would happily let them in, the whole village is behind him,” he said.

He said that “there’s a feeling that there’s just a lack of imagination and willpower”.

“I don’t want to be critical of police, but I’m just giving his thoughts really,” Mr Faulding said.

Mr Ansell was “appalled” after the police did not agree to his requests to put together a joint statement, Mr Faulding said, adding that he never heard back from them.

“He wanted someone senior in front of the cameras at the scene, but it never happened. He was absolutely appalled when we never heard back,” he said.

The distraught partner, who spoke about giving tough answers to his kids about their missing mother, is “absolutely in pieces”, the expert said.

“Paul is just lost, really... He just wants to know where Nicola is,” he said.

The Wednesday press conference is expected to be led by assistant chief constable Peter Lawson and senior investigating officer detective superintendent Rebecca Smith.

It comes as officials were handed over a “stained glove” from the field where Ms Bulley was last seen in January.

Authorities took away the blue-coloured ski glove from the scene, while continuing their search for the missing mother of two, reported The Telegraph.

The walkers found the glove roughly seven miles away from the bench where her mobile phone was found.

Detectives’ extensive searches have centred around the river – where police believe Ms Bulley may have fallen in. But it has so far proven inconclusive, and her disappearance has sparked intense speculation and even vigilante searches.