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A police chief investigating Nicola Bulley's disappearance has slammed TikTokers "playing private detective" and defended the force's handling of the case.
Ms Bulley, 45, was last seen 19 days ago near the River Wyre in Lancashire, and the case has since launched a nationwide manhunt, with internet sleuths touting their own theories and even showing up to the scene of the crime.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith said that she and her team were being "inundated" with misinformation and urged social media users to let police do their job.
READ MORE: Nicola Bulley 'graded high-risk missing person' with 'specific vulnerabilities'
“We’re really, really grateful to members of the public for ringing into the inquiry," Ms Smith said in a press conference today (February 15).
"We wouldn’t have got this far without everybody’s help.
"But I think it’s also really obvious that we are being inundated with false information, accusations and rumours which is distracting us from our work."
She added: "You’ll no doubt be aware that TikTokers have been playing their own private detectives and have been in the area."
Commenting on the internet theories, the Lancashire officer said: "In 29 years [of] police service I've never seen anything like it.
"Some of it's been quite shocking and really hurtful to the family."
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Ms Smith added that her current "main working hypothesis" was that Ms Bulley had fallen into the river and added that a blue glove found at the scene, which drew instant attention on social media, had been seized by police but was not believed to be relevant to the case.
Assistant Chief Constable Peter Lawson, who co-led the press conference with Ms Smith, said that while he understood the interest around the case, "there is no evidence to indicate a criminal aspect of third party involvement in Nicola’s disappearance."
Ms Bulley vanished between 9:10 and 9:20am on January 27 while walking her spaniel, Willow, in St Michael's on Wyre shortly after dropping off her daughters – aged six and nine – at school.
Police have believed from the start of their investigation that the mum-of-two suffered a tragic fall into the river.
But after an intensive search of the river failed to produce results, rival theories began to emerge.
Forensic search expert Peter Faulding, who was brought in with specialised sonar equipment to scan the riverbed, said he was "baffled" that the mum couldn't be found.
Peter told LBC: "I don’t think she fell in the water. That's just my opinion with all the drownings I've dealt with over the years."
Lancashire police have been criticised for their handling of the case after they failed to secure the area where she went missing and took nine days to call in a "key witness".
But officers confirmed in today's annoucnement that Ms Bulley was immediately graded "a high-risk missing person" with "specific vulnerabilities".
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- Police
- Missing Person
- TikTok
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