Lancashire Police ‘refused additional assistance’ in finding Nicola Bulley

Lancashire Police have declined additional help in the case of Nicola Bulley in a move branded ‘strange’, it has been reported.

Other forces and search and rescue organizations offered to commit resources to assist in the search for the missing mother-of-two.

But detectives said the “relevant areas” had been searched and no further assistance was needed.

Her body was eventually found – more than three weeks after Nicolas disappeared – in the River Wyre at St Michael’s on Wyre, near where she was last seen.

But it was dog walkers who discovered her body – not police – and some have wondered how the body went missing despite extensive searches for 23 days.

A search and rescue source told the Sun that the force’s decision to refuse assistance was “inexcusable” and “bizarre.”

They emphasized, “It’s completely weird to turn down free resources. Hundreds of trained people could have helped.

“Searchers should have found her body – and it should have been dignified.”

The detectives’ main working hypothesis was that Nicola had fallen into the river after dropping her dog’s ball.

For weeks, divers, helicopters, boats, sonars and sniffer dogs searched the area in the village, and emergency services insisted their search was thorough and exhaustive.

Lowland Rescue, which has 36 teams and 1,800 skilled volunteers, offered to send whatever they needed to assist as the search entered its third week.

But an email reply from Lancashire’s Deputy Police Commissioner Peter Lawson read: “Thank you for your message and offer of support.

“It has been truly heartwarming to receive the offers we have received from both the police family and UK search and rescue organizations.

“Property searches were conducted in the early stages of the search – before there was any real media interest, so largely unreported.

“These searches include police officers, mountain rescue, search dogs and the fire department.”

He said there were no plans for further land searches as “we are satisfied that we have cleared the relevant areas with appropriate resources”.

Pressure is now mounting for an urgent investigation into the armed forces’ handling of the case.

Widespread criticism of Nicolas’ disclosure of alcohol addiction and menopausal symptoms is still hanging over her head.

Metro.co.uk have reached out to Lancashire Police for comment.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, Visit our news page.