Nicola Bulley’s heartbroken partner reveals the phone call that changed everything as search for missing mum continues
NICOLA Bulley's partner has relived the shattering moment he was told she was missing.
Paul Ansell said his "world just dropped" when police informed him the mortgage adviser's phone had been discovered but there was no sign of her.
In a TV interview, he recalled: "The phone rang and it was the school.
"The receptionist said, 'Mr Ansell, it's a bit of a weird one but we found Willow and Nikki's phone on a bench and the harness halfway down the embankment on the floor'.
"It's like your world just drops out because you know something weird has happened."
Paul was speaking on Friday - the day that marked two weeks since Nicola vanished.
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He told Channel 5's Dan Walker how "panicked" he felt after the mum-of-two's phone, and their dog Willow, had been found - but she was nowhere to be seen.
The 44-year-old recalled: "I still expected obviously
to just have a look around and there she is or, or there she is."
Paul said he immediately knew something was wrong but it wasn't until he spoke to cops that the nightmare really started to sink in.
He continued: "The police rang me while I was at the bench and said, 'look, you've got to get home'."
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"I was obviously extremely worried and concerned but I still expected any second they'd just go, 'oh, found her'.
"That never happened. The day just then spiralled and the end of the day came and, no answers."
In the interview, Paul also revealed how he expected to be a suspect in the case.
He also said he believed a local is responsible for Nicola's disappearance - while begging her to "just come home".
Paul said he was "100 per cent" convinced the mother of his children is not in the river, too.
It comes as police today searched the caravan site just yards from where the mum disappeared on January 27.
It was yesterday revealed police were looking into two men trying to hide their faces near Nicola's dog-walking route the day before she went missing.
Officers are said to be compiling a list of all registered sex offenders in the area as is protocol, according to a former Scotland Yard detective.
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One of Nicola's pals also revealed new details about her car keys - which are still yet to be found.
