A press conference about the ongoing search for missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley will be held by police today as they look to combat disinformation about her disappearance.
The briefing will take place as speculation about what might have happened to the 45-year-old has continued to grow in the 19 days since she vanished.
The mortgage adviser went missing on January 27 during a dog walk with her springer spaniel Willow in St Michael’s on Wyre in Lancashire after she dropped her two daughters off at school.
At a press conference on February 3, the force first told the public of its “main working hypothesis” that Ms Bulley fell in the river during a “10-minute window” between 9.10am and 9.20am on January 27.
The police said her disappearance wasn’t being treated as suspicious.
The River Wyre has been searched and since Nicola Bulley's body wasn't found, detectives extended the search for her to the sea on February 3, saying finding her there “becomes more of a possibility”.
How to watch police press conference today
The police press conference will take place today (February 15) at 11.30am.
Assistant Chief Constable Peter Lawson and Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith will lead the conference.
Newsquest will be live-streaming the press conference via its True Crime YouTube channel which can be found here and in the link below.
Newsquest's Mark Williams-Thomas, an ex-detective who exposed Jimmy Savile's crimes, will be visiting the search site in St Michael's on Wyre today.
So far, we have only heard from Superintendent Riley who Williams-Thomas says "has been really the face of the media."
He added: "Their media strategy has been poor and it has created confusion, conflicting information.
"I hope that now their strategy is changing."
Two people arrested over malicious communications
A 49-year-old man from Manchester and a 20-year-old woman from Oldham have been arrested on suspicion of malicious communications offences in relation to emails allegedly sent to Wyre Council members.
The man has been bailed pending further inquiries until May 12 while the woman remains in custody.
Wyre Council removed councillors’ contact details from its website on Monday due to “inappropriate emails and phone calls” about Ms Bulley’s disappearance.
After Lancashire Police confirmed its investigation, the council said it had temporarily removed contact details for “parish and town council members”.
Meanwhile, Ms Bulley’s friends and neighbours, including her next-door neighbour and friend Charlotte Drake, have continued to lay yellow ribbons with messages on a bridge over the Wyre which say they still hope she will be found safe and well.
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