Police commissioner urges people to grant 'respect and privacy' to Nicola Bulley's family after body found in search for mum-of-two

The commissioner for Lancashire Police has urged people to grant ‘respect and privacy’ to the family of Nicola Bulley after a body was found in the River Wyre earlier today.

Police were called to reports of a body in the river close to Rawcliffe Road at around 11.35am on Sunday morning (February 19). No formal identification has yet been carried out.

The discovery comes more than three weeks after mum-of-two Nicola went missing while walking her springer spaniel Willow in the village of St Michael’s on Wyre on January 27.

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The road near the River Wyre remains sealed off by police and divers were spotted on the scene earlier today. A forensic tent has also been erected by specialist CSI officers.

Following the discovery, Lancashire police commissioner Andrew Snowden asked for ‘respect and privacy’ for Nicola’s family as police carried out their investigation.

Taking to twitter, Mr Snowden posted: “My thoughts are with Nicola’s family and friends at a difficult time.

“I’d like to thank the @LancsPolice officers and staff working on scene and across the Force. Please can we see respect and privacy for Nicola’s family and friends and the Police as they go about their work.”

A Lancashire Police spokesman earlier said officers were called to reports of a body in the river close to Rawcliffe Road. A statement said: "An underwater search team and specialist officers have subsequently attended the scene, entered the water and have sadly recovered a body.

"No formal identification has yet been carried out, so we are unable to say whether this is Nicola Bulley at this time. Procedures to identify the body are