Nicola Bulley may have been weighed down by her heavy clothes (2023)

The missing mother, Nicola Bulley, may have been weighed down by the heavy clothing she was wearing on the day she went missing after falling into the river while trying to pick up a tennis ball for her dog, police suggested before.

And outdoor swimming expert Camilla Golledge told MailOnline that the shock of cold water could also limit a person's ability to swim to safety.

The 45-year-old mother-of-two was last seen in an ankle-length black quilted vest, waist-length black coat by Engelbert Strauss, skinny jeans and green wellies.

She had a light blue Fitbit strapped to her wrist as she took her spaniel Willow for a brisk walk along the River Wyre, a route she often took after dropping off her two daughters at the nearby school.

Today the police announced that they have a suspicionMrs. Bulley probably fell into the river 15 feet deeplast Friday morning.

Speaking to MailOnline after a press conference in the village of St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire Police Superintendent Sally Riley said officers were looking at all scenarios.

But he admitted it was "possible" Ms Bulley fell into the River Wyre while trying to retrieve a tennis ball for her dog near the water's edge.

Ms Bulley has posted numerous pictures of herself exercising along the same stretch of the River Wyre she was last seen onthe Strava running tracking app.

A few photos show Willow playing with the ball.

Superintendent Riley said: "I am not aware of any dog ​​ball being recovered but a ball may have rolled down the steep bank near the water's edge and Mrs Bulley bent down to pick it up."

What she wore could also be a factor.

"I don't want to speculate, but the facts are that he was wearing an ankle-length quilted vest, which is a large coat, and underneath was another coat, and then underneath that coat, more clothes."

He also wore ankle-high rubber boots. One would expect them to fill with water when someone enters a river, so all this clothing is heavy, especially on someone who is slight and only 5ft3 tall.

Outdoor swimming expert Camilla Golledge said there could be other factors that could play a role as well.

The Kent-based trainer said: "People are experiencing cold water shock at the moment because the water is so cold... which means their natural response is to take a deep breath, which means the water is filling your lungs."

Anyone would experience it unless you are an experienced outdoor swimmer.

This has less to do with clothes. Surely they won't help you.

She said Ms Bulley might not have been able to call for help, especially as her clothing and wellies weighed her down.

"Most people who experience cold water shock or drown in open water are people who had no intention of being there," Ms Golledge said.

“What you have to do is train your breathing to go in slowly instead of falling or jumping.

Even I, as an experienced open water swimmer, go in slowly and have to train my breathing. My body is shocked by this unnatural breath.

Superintendent Riley said there were no reports of people in distress, no shouting or spraying, and no footprints were found on the bench.

And while police are working on the theory that Ms Bulley somehow made it into the water, they're still exploring other avenues to rule out any other scenario.

Superintendent Riley told the Lancashire Post: "Some waterfront exits are covered with security cameras or the exits are closed and therefore Nicola could not have crossed them.

"There is only a very small area on Garstang Lane towards the A5/A6 that is not covered by CCTV and as such we are asking for dashcam footage today of anyone who may have been walking or driving on Garstang Lane in the area are coming forward when they can.

Specialized police officers scanned the stretch of the River Wyre near the bank where his mobile phone was found late Friday morning.

The site is 300 meters from a dam that divides the river between tidal and non-tidal.

Nothing significant had been found, the official said, but added that a "large mass" could pass down this dam, which would pose "more complexities and challenges" as it flows toward the coast nine miles away at Fleetwood.

Officials have been scanning the river bed using modern underwater drones, resembling mini-submarines equipped with cameras operated by someone on land or in a boat.

Police dive teams will continue to comb the Wyre riverbed near shore over the weekend while the Coastguard and RNLI will continue to survey the tidal stretch to Fleetwood and Morecombe Bay.

Author and ex-soldier Chris Ryan, who is passing throughChrisRyanMMand was a member of the British Army's elite SAS force for a decade, which also highlighted the struggles Nicola would have faced had she fallen overboard.

"This is a terrible case and my heart goes out to her and her family. During my service at SAS I was involved in three missions involving river falls and unfortunately people can underestimate the power of water along with the dangers of an unstable river bank," he told MailOnline.

“We all do these walks and every day they go without incident. Collapses are not always predictable, so surprise often decides how a person goes into the water, for example upside down. Then consider various other factors such as tremors, undercurrents, debris and clothing.

“A full-grown adult can be swept away in as little as 17 inches of fast-moving water. Then imagine a swollen, fast-moving river with a large amount of loose debris. If a person falls into a river, their clothing will soak up the water and this extra weight would make it very difficult to swim or stay off the surface.'

He added: "I really hope this young lady is found soon. I walk my dog ​​by a river, so I know for a fact that at first glance it's a beautiful place.”

Previously, Superintendent Riley said detectives were "as certain as possible" that the missing mother-of-two had not left the riverbank at St Michael's on Wyre and "this is not suspicious but a tragic missing person case".

Superintendent Riley said they are trying to "put together a ten minute window where we cannot explain her movements" since she was last seen at 9:10am. M. last Friday and when he left his phone in a bank at 9:20 am. M

She said: "We think it's stayed afloat. Our working hypothesis is that unfortunately for some reason it fell into the river. There is no evidence whatsoever that her disappearance or the involvement of a third party in her disappearance is suspicious," adding that "any speculation to the contrary is disturbing to Nicky's family."

Police also revealed today:

• Detectives believe Nicola fell into the river within ten minutes of her last sighting and the time she left her phone on a bench;
• Officers said they checked all available video cameras and that Nicola did not leave the area. They also search a 10-mile stretch of water to the Irish Sea;
• Lancashire Police warned people to be careful after dark in or around the river, particularly anyone trying to help search at night.
• A sealed parking lot near the area where Ms. Bulley was last seen.not related to the investigation

Ms Bulley's heartbroken friend spoke for the first time today and said: "It's like she just vanished into thin air, it's crazy."

Paul Ansell, an engineer, said he is focused on staying strong for his two daughters, who have asked what happened to their mother a week after she went missing from a walk.

Close to the scene where Mrs Bulley was last seen in the River Wyre in Lancashire, she told the announcers: "My whole focus is on my two daughters, I'm just staying as strong as I can for them."

"I'm afraid that if I focus on something else, it will take my mind off it. I just hope something comes out of yesterday's interview, however small.

After thanking the local community for their "incredible" support, he added: "I just can't believe we're a week old and it doesn't seem like we're there.

It seems absolutely impossible. Like a dream. I can not understand. Right now it's like it's gone, it's insane.

Ansell said he "can't understand" her disappearance. He said: "Every step meets a wall. All of them.

"All we do is sit around and around and around through each phase."

She added that she was focused on taking care of her two daughters and "didn't want to think about" how she was doing.

Police yesterday made a public appeal to a woman seen on CCTV wearing a red coat in the River Wyre when Ms Bulley went missing last Friday morning.

MailOnline previously revealed that Christine Bowman, 67, told police she did not see Ms Bulley while she was walking her own dog, Snowflake.

Ms Bowman said she was baffled by the appeal to locate her because she had already spoken to officers on the day Ms Bulley disappeared and "knows nothing".

The local resident, who police hoped could provide vital information in their search for Ms Bulley, is not traveling to the bank where the missing mother's phone and dog were found.

Security camera footage capturing her was captured from the trailer park next to the towpath.

"That's as far as it goes, she doesn't go past that point with her dog."

It's a devastating blow to Ms Bulley's family, who have been waiting with bated breath for updates on the investigation.

In an appeal yesterday for the woman to be located, a Lancashire Police spokesman said: "She is said to be wearing a red and white coat with a fur hood, light-colored trousers and a light-colored hat with pompoms."

“He walked a small white dog. The woman was spotted on CCTV around 8:48am in Allotment Lane, near where Nicola was last seen and also near the gate at the end of Allotment Lane.

However, a friend said: "Their paths have not crossed, unfortunately she has no information as to where Nicola could be."

While the investigation extends to an eighth day, a source with the San Miguel Fisheries Association said the stretch of river where Ms Bulley disappeared was notorious at about 15 feet deep and was "very dangerous".

"The combination of depth and cold at this time of year makes it very dangerous," he told the Times.

"I certainly wouldn't want to fall in there and I'm a very strong swimmer." Specialized police divers meticulously searched the riverbed for clues.