Lancashire Police have responded to a report published in the wake of the Nicola Bulley disappearance case, accepting that "there are undoubtedly things [they] would do differently" with the benefit of hindsight.

Nicola vanished while walking her dog by the river in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, back in January 2023. Police launched an extensive search of the area and her body was found on February 19, just over a mile from where she went missing.

The Mirror reported on an inquiry by the College of Policing published today [November 21, 2023] which said that a number of professionals in search and rescue were invited to assist the investigation's latter stages..

And today, as a press conference is held announcing the findings of the inquiry into the investigation, the force as said it "welcomes" the review - conducted by the College of Policing - into its "operational responses" to the hunt for the missing mother

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The review was commissioned by Police and Crime Commissioner, Andrew Snowden, to provide an external perspective on the investigation and associated activity in the search for Nicola.

Some areas of the operation were praised, including the initial response, investigation, and search operation. The support to the Bulley family by the Family Liaison Officers was also highlighted as exceptional.

Deputy Chief Constable Sacha Hatchett, the lead Chief Officer for organisational learning, standards and conduct said: "Whilst the review has been published today, it is important to remember that at the centre of all this is Nikki and her family. They have been our priority throughout and our thoughts remain with them as they continue to deal with the grief of losing the person they loved most dearly.

“We have some of the most experienced staff in policing who put others first and the report reflects their outstanding dedication and professionalism; their focus was on finding Nikki and bringing her home to her family. When Nikki went missing, all the evidence pointed to the fact that she had somehow fallen into the river.

"Whilst the media reporting and social media commentary pointed to other possibilities, the investigation remained focused but always open minded. The investigation team’s hypothesis was proven to be right when Nikki was found.

“This was an incredibly tragic case that attracted a huge media and social media interest, placing our policing response and the Bulley family in the spotlight. That media demand was at times overwhelming, and with the benefit of hindsight, there are undoubtedly things we would do differently in the future.

"Indeed, we have already started to do so. There is no doubt that the impact of social media, as experienced in this case, is an area of concern for policing generally which requires more focus in the future.

"It had a detrimental effect on the family, the investigation, and our staff along with influencing wider media reporting. This impact also extended to many residents in the village of St Michaels, many who were targeted and had their businesses affected. Any police force could face what we did, and we must draw on the learning nationally.”

The media handling of the investigation has also attracted significant commentary in the independent report.

DCC Hatchett said: “The speed that this case was picked up in the media and on social media, and how quickly it became national and international focus, meant that incredible pressure and demand was put on our press team and the wider department. The report very rightly highlights the significant expertise, commitment, and work ethic of this team and whilst there are points of learning, it’s important to recognise that many police forces would have been overwhelmed by this.

"They were a small team and they worked tirelessly throughout in support of the investigation. With the benefit of hindsight, we should have considered mutual aid more thoroughly at the time.”

In conclusion, DCC Hatchett said: “Everything we did during the investigation and search for Nikki was in the hope we could find her alive and well, and to bring her home to her family, who remained at the heart of everything we did. Sadly, that was not the outcome, and our thoughts are with them as they continue to grieve.”