AN EXPERT diver involved in the search for Nicola Bulley has sent support to her family after a body was found today.
Peter Faulding, who launched a specialist search for the missing mum-of-two, has Tweeted in response to the body found in the River Wye.
He wrote: "Our thoughts are with Nicola's family and friends at this difficult time. #nicolabulley"
Police searching for Nicola today confirmed a body had been found less than a mile from where she was last seen.
Read the latest on Nicola Bulley's disappearance here
They said no formal identification has been carried out so are unable to say whether the remains belong to the mum-of-two.
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The force said in a statement: "We were called today at 11:36am to reports of a body in the River Wyre, close to Rawcliffe Road.
"An underwater search team and specialist officers have subsequently attended the scene, entered the water and have sadly recovered a body.
"No formal identification has yet been carried out, so we are unable to say whether this is Nicola Bulley at this time.
"Procedures to identify the body are on-going. We are currently treating the death as unexplained.
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"Nicola’s family have been informed of developments and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult of times. We ask that their privacy is respected."
Officers today closed off an area less than a mile from where Nicola was last seen after a two dog walkers called in a tip.
Divers were seen entering the water after two police cars rushed to the scene this morning.
A police helicopter hovered above as a man and woman could be seen pointing to the spot where a new search was launched.
The search area runs along Rawcliffe Road as well as nearby footpaths.
The tragic discovery comes after police stated Nicola was treated as a high risk missing person when she disappeared.
The force revealed Nicola had "vulnerabilities" at the time she went missing they were made aware of by partner Paul Ansell and her family.
These included "significant issues with alcohol" in the past that were brought on by her "ongoing struggles with the menopause".
Nicola's struggles had resurfaced over recent months, police confirmed.
A statement added: "This caused some real challenges for Paul and the family.
"As a result of those issues, a response car staffed by both police and health professionals attended a report of concern for welfare at Nicola’s home address on January 10th.
"No one has been arrested in relation to this incident, but it is being investigated."
Officers previously released a timeline of the missing mum's final movements before she disappeared.
Timeline of Nicola’s disappearance
January 27:
8.26am- Nicola leaves her home address with her children
8.40am- The mum drops the children off at school and has a brief conversation with another parent.
8.43am – Nicola walked along the path by the River Wyre towards the gate/bench into the lower field, having dropped her children off at school
8:47am (approximately) – A dog-walker – somebody who knows Nicola – saw her walking around the lower field with her dog. Their two dogs interacted briefly before the witness left the field via the river path
8.53am – She sent an email to her boss
8.59 am- Nicola sent message to a friend
9.01am – She logged into a Teams call
9.10am (approximately) – A witness – somebody who knows Nicola – saw her on the upper field walking her dog, Willow. Work is ongoing today to establish exactly what time this was.
9.20- Her phone was back in the area of the bench
9.30am – The Teams call ended but Nicola stayed logged on
9.33am (approximately) – Nicola’s mobile phone and Willow were found at a bench by the river by another dog-walker
Nicola began her routine walk along the towpath to the River Wyre at 8.43am after the normal school drop off with her two children.
Police say around seven minutes later, a dog walker who knows Nicola spotted her walking around the lower field with her springer spaniel Willow.
The witness said their two dogs interacted briefly before she left Nicola via the river path.
At 8.53am, the mum sent an email to her boss at Exclusively Mortgages.
She logged into a Teams call at 9.01am and was seen around nine minutes later on the upper field walking Willow.
At 9.30am, police say the work call ended but Nicola stayed logged on.
At around 9.35am, the mobile and Willow were found at a bench by the river but there was no sign of Nicola.
An extensive search was launched to find the mum-of-two, involving police, firefighters, mountain rescue, underwater teams and the local community.
Officers scoured wooded areas, ditches, water margins and the grounds of an abandoned house.
Last Friday, Nicola's partner Paul Ansell told Channel 5's Dan Walker that "something happened that day" as people do just "vanish into thin air".
He also spoke of his torment at her disappearance two weeks after she was last seen.
On Vanished: What happened to Nicola Bulley?, Paul said: "It just doesn’t feel real. I feel like I’m in the Truman show.
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"Like, I honestly believe I’m going to wake up at any moment…how are we even in this? We are good people.”
Paul also said he feels "anger, loads of frustration, confusion, disbelief, surrealism" as the family goes through "unprecedented hell".
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