Dog walker vanishes on river path as major police search launched after spaniel found without her

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

A major search is under way after a woman vanished while walking her dog in Lancashire.

Nicola Bulley, 45, was walking her dog on Friday 27 January around 9.15am on a footpath by the River Wyre off Garstang Road in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre.

Lancashire Police said Ms Bulley's dog - a brown Spaniel - has been found close to where she was last seen and hope this might help jog the memory of anyone who saw her at around the same time and who may have information relating to her whereabouts.

Emergency crews including Lancashire Fire and Rescue, Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue team and the North West Underwater Search Team have joined the search.

She is described as white, 5ft 3ins tall, with light brown shoulder-length hair and she speaks with an Essex accent.

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.

Police say they are “extremely concerned” about her and have urged anyone with information about where she may be to get in touch.

The force said it is keeping an open mind about where she may be, and detectives investigating the circumstances around her disappearance are following a number of lines of enquiry.

Chief inspector Chris Barton said: “Nicola has now been missing for two days and we are extremely concerned about her.

“Firstly, if anybody saw her on Friday morning and has not yet been spoken to by police, or if anybody has any other information about where she might be, please get in touch with us straight away.

“Enquiries are very much ongoing and we have a team of detectives working tirelessly to establish the circumstances around her disappearance, in addition to a large team of police officers, partner agency and volunteer groups on the ground searching the area around where she was last seen.”

He added officers are aware a large number of people from the local community have organised a search of the area, and urged them to stay safe.

The River Wyre and its banks are extremely dangerous and searching these areas presents a genuine risk to the public, the force said.

Anybody who has seen Nicola, or has information about where she might be, is asked to call 101, quoting log 473 of 27 January.

The force said to call 999 to report immediate sightings.