Home Secretary not “wholly satisfied” with Lancashire Police’s responses over Nicola Bulley case

The Home Secretary has said that Lancashire Police’s own investigation into the handling of Nicola Bulley’s case must “carry out its own process” when asked if there should be an external review into the force’s handling of the case.

Suella Braverman said she was not “wholly satisfied” with responses given by the chief constable when she demanded an explanation as to why some of Ms Bulley’s personal details were put into the public domain. It comes as a body was found on Sunday morning around a mile from where the mother-of-two went missing after dropping her daughters, aged six and nine, at school on January 27.

Ms Bulley’s partner, Paul Ansell, told Sky News of his “agony” after the discovery was made in the River Wyre, close to Rawcliffe Road in St Michael’s on Wyre at around 11.35am. It is understood a man and a woman walking their dog discovered the body and called police.

READ MORE: Nicola Bulley’s partner tells of ‘agony’ after body recovered from river in search

The body has not yet been formally identified and in a statement released on Sunday, they said the death was being treated as unexplained. On Monday morning, police officers and community support officers could be seen on patrol in the village, but no police presence remained at the section of the river where the body was discovered.

When asked if there would be an external review into the police’s handling of the case, Ms Braverman said: “I want to put on record my deepest thoughts and sympathies for the family of Nicola Bulley, it must be a horrendous experience that they are going through right now.

“We need to let the police carry out and conclude their investigation. I did have concerns earlier in the week about some of the elements relating to