Father of missing dog walker Nicola Bulley reveals heartbreaking question her ... trends now

Father of missing dog walker Nicola Bulley reveals heartbreaking question her ... trends now
Father of missing dog walker Nicola Bulley reveals heartbreaking question her ... trends now

Father of missing dog walker Nicola Bulley reveals heartbreaking question her ... trends now

The father of missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley is struggling to 'hold it together' for the sake of his family as the search enters its seventh day.

Ms Bulley was last seen walking her Spaniel, Willow, about 9.15am last Friday along River Wyre in Lancashire, while dialled into a business call.

Ernest, her father, broke down as he told The Mirror of his struggle even being in the same room as his granddaughters, aged six and nine, as they continue to ask questions about their mother's whereabouts.

'When I look at the kids, I have to go out of the room because I can't hold it together,' he said.

'They are asking where Mummy is and, when is Mummy coming home? It's so hard.'

Ms Bulley's partner Paul tried to gently break the news of her disappearance to their two daughters, who are now confused and continuing to ask their grandparents when she is coming home

Ms Bulley's partner Paul tried to gently break the news of her disappearance to their two daughters, who are now confused and continuing to ask their grandparents when she is coming home

Ms Bulley was last seen walking her Spaniel, Willow, about 9.15am last Friday along River Wyre in Lancashire, while dialled into a business call

Ms Bulley was last seen walking her Spaniel, Willow, about 9.15am last Friday along River Wyre in Lancashire, while dialled into a business call 

The family say the girls were 'sobbing their hearts out' when their father, Paul Ansell, tried to explain to them that 'Mummy is lost'. 

'We don't know how long we can keep going before they realise. They think Mummy is coming home soon, but if this keeps going on I don't know what we're going to say to them.' 

Ernest and Ms Bulley's extended family have questioned whether she was taken from the riverbank, given there were 'no signs' that she'd slipped or fallen into the water and zero clues as to where she could be.

And Ms Bulley was making plans for the future with her family prior to disappearing last week, they say.

The 45-year-old and her younger sister, Louise, were speaking the night before she vanished, planning a spa getaway and researching treatments they could get their mum, Dot.

Dot, 72, said the sisters are close, adding Ms Bulley had also recently bought tickets to watch her beloved girls perform in choir and an upcoming gymnastics show.

The family have vowed to never give up their search.

Ms Bulley had dropped her two daughters off at primary school in the village of St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, at about 8.45am last Friday.

It's been six days now since the mother-of-two vanished while walking her dog, springer spaniel Willow, on a towpath by the River Wyre in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire

It's been six days now since the mother-of-two vanished while walking her dog, springer spaniel Willow, on a towpath by the River Wyre in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire

An 'abandoned' old house and the surrounding areas have been searched in the hunt for missing mother Nicola Bulley

An 'abandoned' old house and the surrounding areas have been searched in the hunt for missing mother Nicola Bulley

She then walked Willow to a nearby towpath by the River Wyre but has not been seen since.

Willow was spotted by a woman near a slippery riverbank by a bench where Ms Bulley's phone was found still dialled into her business call.

The dog was 'bone dry' meaning that the animal had not entered the water - but appeared to be distressed by something.

Police say they remain 'open minded' as to Ms Bulley's disappearance but insist they do not believe at present she was attacked.

Rescuers have so far focused their efforts on a tidal stretch of the river amid fears she may have fallen in and been washed out towards the coast at Fleetwood, some nine miles away.

Friends of Ms Bulley say that the doting mother would have never willingly left her family.

Ernest, 73, and Dot, 72, said Ms Bulley's disappearance is out of character and revealed they asked police if 'there is any chance' she has been abducted. 

It was also noted Ms Bulley was in good spirits leading to her disappearance.  A friend said she was 'laughing and joking' with two others, potentially the last people to see her before she vanished.

Asked about their daughter’s state of mind in recent days, the couple said there had been absolutely nothing out of the ordinary.

She had no health problems that they knew of and was enjoying her job.

The night before she vanished, her parents were looking after her daughters while Ms Bulley took a business call. She was 'upbeat', having had recently secured a new client at work. 

Of that final encounter, Ernest said: 'I said we better go now and Nicola came to the front door, and I gave her a kiss and told her I loved her and that was the last conversation I had with her.'

Rescue teams have scoured the area near Garstang Road in St Michael's on Wyre in Lancashire for clues over the 45-year-old's mysterious disappearance.

While the river is just 18 inches deep in some areas, the section where Ms Bulley's phone was found is near a sign which reads: 'Danger - deep water'. 

A local told MailOnline: 'I know the woman who found Willow. She said the dog was near the river bank and close to the bench that Nicola's phone was found.

'Willow was bone dry and so hadn't been into the water but the dog was in an agitated state.'

The search continues in St Michaels on Wyre for Nicola Bulley, who was last seen on Friday morning

The search continues in St Michaels on Wyre for Nicola Bulley, who was last seen on Friday morning

Ernest noted there was 'no sign' of someone slipping or falling into the river - leading the family to question if someone has taken her,

He added: 'I asked the sergeant from Fleetwood a few days ago, ''Is there any chance of her being taken?'' and she said, ''I don't think that's the case''.

The 73-year-old was not entirely convinced by the response as the location his daughter went missing in is 'such an isolated area'. 

'We just dread to think we will never see her again, if the worst came to the worst and she was never found, how will we deal with that for the rest of our lives.'

The couple, who are joint owners of a freight transport company, have split their time between caring for their grandchildren, Nicola's two young daughters, and looking for their own daughter. 

Ms Bulley's mother Dot said the nights were the hardest.

She told The Mirror: 'Our worst time is when it gets dark. We find it really hard to think about wondering 'Is she OK' and 'Where is she?''

Even though police have assured the family they're working on it '24 hours a day', Dot and Ernest 'wake in the night and can't get back off to sleep' as they're wracked with fear. 

Mr Ansell tried to gently break the news that 'mummy is lost' to their two little girls, aged nine and six, at the weekend. 

Ms Bulley's daughters 'cried their eyes out' as Mr Ansell tried to console them while stricken with fear and grief himself.

Rescue teams scoured the area near Garstang Road in St Michael's on Wyre in Lancashire for clues over the 45-year-old's mysterious disappearance last week

Rescue teams scoured the area near Garstang Road in St Michael's on Wyre in Lancashire for clues over the 45-year-old's mysterious disappearance last week

A search dog from Lancashire Police and a crew from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service search the River Wyre for missing woman Nicola Bulley

A search dog from Lancashire Police and a crew from Lancashire Fire and

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