'IT'S NOT OVER'
Nicola Bulley’s sister says there is ‘no evidence’ to back police’s theory that missing mum fell into river
NICOLA Bulley's sister says there's "no evidence" behind the police theory that the missing mum plunged into the river.
Cops yesterday revealed their "main working hypothesis" was that Nicola had "sadly fallen" into the icy waterway.
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The dog walker, 45, vanished after dropping her children off at school in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, on Friday - now more than a week ago.
Since then there has been no trace of the mum-of-two, leaving her family in agony.
Police explained they thought Nicola may have fallen in the River Wyre while trying to retrieve her dog Willow's tennis ball.
They said that if the mum did fall into the water, she may have been weighed down by the "heavy" clothing she was wearing.
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But sister Louise Cunningham took to social media last night, urging the public to keep an open mind.
Louise wrote: "Off the back of the latest police media update, please can I add there is no evidence whatsoever that she has gone into the river, it's just a theory.
"Everyone needs to keep an open mind as not all CCTV and leads have been investigated fully, the police confirmed the case is far from over."
Emma White, a friend of Nicola's, also rejected the police's theory.
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Speaking to , Emma said: "When we’re talking about a life we can’t base it on a hypothesis surely we need this factual evidence.
"That’s what the family and us are all holding onto - that we’re actually no further on the sadly last Friday.
"We still have no evidence and that’s why we’re out again in force.
"You don’t base life on a hypothesis, do you? You absolutely can have hypotheses, but you need something to back that hypothesis up to make it factual."
She also claimed that Nicola wouldn't have followed Willow's ball to the water's edge, as police suggested.
Emma said: "Willow used to love a tennis ball very much but it used to disturb their walks so they haven’t had a tennis ball since way into last year.
"Obviously she loved the tennis ball so she’d always be by you, pestering you for the ball - but it wasn’t a nice walk when the dog’s pestering - so there was definitely no ball."
In a press conference yesterday, Supt Sally Riley also told the press there was a ten-minute window where they cannot account for Nicola's movements.
This is between 9.10am - the last confirmed sighting - and 9.20am when Nicola's phone is believed to have been on a bench while connected to a work call.
'FALLEN INTO THE RIVER'
Supt Riley said: “Based on all the work we have done so far, we are now as confident as we can be that Nicola has not left the field where she was last seen and our working hypothesis is that she has fallen into the river for some reason.
"There is no evidence whatsoever that there is anything suspicious about her disappearance or any third-party involvement in her going missing.
"Our investigation remains open and we will of course act on any new information which comes to light."
However, there has been no signs along the river of somebody slipping in.
Officers also outlined the search for the mum as they confirmed they have been checking CCTV and dashcam footage for a sign of Nicola.
The development came as partner Paul Ansell told friends he is "trying to be strong" for their daughters, who are aged nine and six.
One pal told the : "They want to go out and find mummy. It’s utterly heartbreaking.
"They just desperately want her home."
Paul yesterday visited the route where she vanished to appeal for information.
'VANISHED INTO THIN AIR'
Speaking to reporters at the scene, he said: "My whole focus is my two girls, just staying as strong as I can for them.
"I'm scared that if I put focus into anything else it's going to take my focus off that.
"Just hoping to goodness that anything comes out from the interview yesterday no matter how tiny."
Paul said he keeps playing "every scenario" in his head "around and around" but each one comes to a "brick wall".
He added: "It is as though she has vanished into thin air."
His comments come as it emerged Nicola had just minutes before she disappeared.
Search efforts for the missing mum have ramped up as specialist teams focus on a stretch of river.
On Thursday, police cordoned off a footpath that leads to a bench where Nicola’s phone and dog were found.
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Officers also released a timeline of the missing mum’s final movements before she disappeared.
It followed the mum's family releasing an emotional appeal as they told how her children "need her home".
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