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Nicola Bulley family wants end to public speculation

Lynette Horsburgh & Tom Mullen
BBC News
Police handout Nicola BulleyPolice handout
Nicola Bulley vanished on a riverside dog walk in Lancashire

The family of missing Nicola Bulley have said "appalling" speculation surrounding her private life "needs to stop".

The 45-year-old went missing on 27 January during a riverside dog walk in St Michael's on Wyre in Lancashire.

Lancashire Police has faced a backlash for revealing she had ongoing struggles with alcohol and the menopause.

The force said it has referred itself to the police watchdog over it had with her before she vanished.

On Thursday her family said she would not have wanted the information released, but police had kept them informed.

In a new statement, they said: "As a family, we were aware beforehand that Lancashire Police, last night, released a statement with some personal details about our Nikki.

"Although we know that Nikki would not have wanted this, there are people out there speculating and threatening to sell stories about her.

"This is appalling and needs to stop.

"The police know the truth about Nikki and now the public need to focus on finding her."

Lancashire Police referred itself on Thursday to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) regarding an incident before Ms Bulley's disappearance when officers attended her home.

The force said it was called to a "concern for welfare report" and health professionals also attended on 10 January. It said no arrests were made.

A force spokesman said the referral "relates solely to our interaction with the family on that date and does not relate to the wider missing from home investigation".

An IOPC spokesman said: "This afternoon we received a referral from Lancashire Constabulary regarding the force had with Nicola Bulley on 10 January, prior to her disappearance."

He said the watchdog was assessing the available information to determine whether an investigation was required.

PA Media Police officers walk past yellow ribbons tied to a bridge for Nicola BulleyPA Media
Nicola Bulley's parents have left yellow ribbons on the bridge over the River Wyre

Lancashire Police had described Ms Bulley as vulnerable and said she was classed as a "high-risk" missing person immediately after her partner Paul Ansell reported her disappearance.

The force initially declined to elaborate but later disclosed further details, a move which it was criticised for.

Zoë Billingham, the chairwoman of an NHS mental health trust and formerly Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, told BBC Radio 4 the comments "stopped me in my tracks".

"Why on earth was this information even vaguely relevant to an investigation that's 20 days on":[]}