Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Chiara Fiorillo

Haunting footage of Nicola Bulley playing with her kids in snow before vanishing

Haunting video footage has emerged of Nicola Bulley playing with her children in the snow before she went missing.

The family video, which shows the missing dog walker and her children in happier times, was revealed ahead of a Channel 5 interview given by Nicola's partner Paul Ansell.

In the video, Nicola can be seen sitting on a small sleigh and talking to her daughters - one of them wearing a pink hat and outfit with some hearts on her arm.

She then asks her daughter "you ready?" before setting off down a snow-covered hill.

Nicola's dog Willow can be heard barking in the background and then he appears on camera while playing in the snow.

Lancashire Police officers are continuing to search the River Wyre towards the sea at Morecambe Bay, working on one hypothesis that the 45-year-old, from Inskip, could have fallen in.

Their search has been aided by specialists and divers from HM Coastguard, mountain rescue, and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, with sniffer dogs, drones, and police helicopters deployed.

Nicola vanished while walking her springer spaniel Willow near the river, shortly after dropping her daughters, aged six and nine, at school.

The bench where Nicola Bulley's phone was found (PA)

The mortgage adviser's phone was found on a bench overlooking the river, still connected to a work call.

Her partner, Paul Ansell said he wants to keep "all options open" about her disappearance, but his "gut instinct" tells him she is not in the river.

He described Ms Bulley as "fun", "loving", "the most loyal friend you could ever have" and an "exceptional mum" who "absolutely adores our girls".

"She's just a pillar of strength to our family and without her, the hole is bigger than you can possibly imagine," he told 5 News.

Mr Ansell said that although the family is going through "unprecedented hell", hope that his partner will be found is "stronger than ever".

Nicola's friend Emma White said the two girls look "deflated" when they ask their dad about their mum and are told that there are no updates.

Talking on Good Morning Britain, Ms White described Nicola's disappearance as a "rollercoaster of emotions".

She said her daughters and Nicola's children are friends and, despite being "resilient", they always ask questions.

Ms White said: "I think children are quite resilient aren't they, but they are obviously asking questions each day.

Nicola's friend Emma White said her daughters look 'deflated' (Sky News)

"The girls, when they get home from school, ask 'any news on mummy?' and Paul has to say 'no'. Paul says he can see the little girls just deflate.

"The little girl is saying 'Is my mummy famous?' and I didn't quite know how to answer that myself… for the wrong reasons."

She added: "Just bring Nikki home, come to the sofa, with the girls, with Willow and you can have that happy story because that's what we're keeping hope for."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.