Nicola Bulley: Sister of missing mum ties yellow ribbon of hope to River Wyre bridge as search enters 19th day

By Sean Gleaves
Published 14th Feb 2023, 13:54 BST
Updated 14th Feb 2023, 17:02 BST
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Family, friends and neighbours of missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley, who disappeared more than a fortnight ago, have not given up hope she will be found.

Ms Bulley’s sister, Louise Cunningham, accompanied by her mother-in-law and father-in-law, tied a yellow ribbon to a bridge over the River Wyre on Tuesday as well-wishers continue to leave hand-written “messages of hope” that the 45-year-old mortgage adviser will be found unharmed in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre where she vanished on January 27.

Newly-left messages say “hope is the last thing ever lost” and “Nikki, I love you, come home”.

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Others reading “we need you home Nicola”, “praying for your safe return” and “I love you” were found tied to the bridge on Sunday (February 12).

Nicola Bulley's sister, Louise Cunnigham (front), with her mother and father-in-law, ties a yellow ribbon to a bridge over the River Wyre (Credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)Nicola Bulley's sister, Louise Cunnigham (front), with her mother and father-in-law, ties a yellow ribbon to a bridge over the River Wyre (Credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
Nicola Bulley's sister, Louise Cunnigham (front), with her mother and father-in-law, ties a yellow ribbon to a bridge over the River Wyre (Credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

A large poster with a photograph of Ms Bulley has also been attached to the railings.

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As the search for her continues, police have been looking at areas from the river where she vanished to the sea.

The search in Morecambe Bay continued into its fifth day as officers on horseback surveyed elevated paths in the village of Knott End-on-Sea on Monday.

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Friends and neighbours of missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley have not given up hope she will be found (Credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)Friends and neighbours of missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley have not given up hope she will be found (Credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
Friends and neighbours of missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley have not given up hope she will be found (Credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

On Thursday (February 9), police extended the search for her body to the sea after detectives said finding her “in the open sea becomes more of a possibility”.

Meanwhile, officers are still looking for clues near the bench on the riverbank where her phone was found, while still connected to a work call, on the day she disappeared.

Lancashire Police believe she fell into the river Wyre “in a 10-minute window” while walking her springer spaniel Willow on her usual morning walk after dropping her daughters – Harriet and Sophia – at school.

Ms Bulley had logged into a Microsoft Teams call at 9.01am, which ended at 9.30am with her phone still connected to the call.

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The messages have been written on yellow ribbons on a bridge over the River Wyre in the village (Credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)The messages have been written on yellow ribbons on a bridge over the River Wyre in the village (Credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
The messages have been written on yellow ribbons on a bridge over the River Wyre in the village (Credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

She was seen by another dog walker at 9.10am – the last known sighting – and police traced telephony records of her mobile phone as it remained on a bench overlooking the river at 9.20am.

The device was found by a dog walker at around 9.35am, with Willow nearby.

The force says it does not think she came to any harm.