Dan Matthews, Forensic Science Senior Lecturer on the College of Lincoln, has forged doubt over Lancashire Police's principle fell within the River Wyre. Mr Matthews stated it's fairly attainable Ms Bulley, 45, shouldn't be within the river.
He instructed Categorical.co.uk: "It is vitally troublesome to know what has occurred. The police are underneath strain to make some type of assertion as to what has occurred. A few of that's carried out to appease folks, but it surely doesn't essentially present that appeasement.
"Except they're investigating one thing which they might have, I do not suppose there's something to assist any speculation at this stage. However the police will not be disclosing some particulars for investigative functions, and they're fairly inside their rights to try this."
Ms Bulley, 45, of Inskip, Lancashire, went lacking on January 27 in close by St Michael's on Wyre.
Mr Matthews stated: "It is fairly attainable she will not be within the river. All choices are open in the meanwhile... It is robust. The household will need to know what's occurred. It's extremely troublesome to cope with. You must preserve that objectivity even when it doesn't assist one aspect or the opposite.
"It is a type of issues the place it is so open. We merely do not know sufficient to make a judgement."
In a Fb put up, Ms Bulley's sister, Louise Cunningham, urged folks to "hold an open thoughts" as there's "no proof in anyway" the canine walker fell within the river.
She stated on Saturday: "Off the again of the newest Police media replace, please can I add there isn't a proof in anyway that she has gone into the river, it is only a principle."
"Everybody must hold an open thoughts as not all CCTV and leads have been investigated totally, the police confirmed the case is way from over."
Lancashire Police stated on February 3 it was engaged on the speculation Ms Bulley might have fallen into the River Wyre.
Superintendent Sally Riley from the Constabulary urged in opposition to hypothesis however stated it was "attainable" that an "difficulty" with Ms Bulley's canine might have led her to the water's edge.
Officers from the North West Police Underwater and Marine assist unit have already searched the world near the place Ms Bulley's cell phone was discovered, whereas police divers have scoured the River Wyre.
The pressure has searched the river and riverbank all the way in which to the ocean, utilizing search groups, sonar, search canine, drone, helicopter and CCTV.
Detective Superintendent Rebecca Smith of Lancashire Police stated on Monday: "The staff engaged on this investigation are utterly devoted and decided to search out Nicola. As a mom myself, I can not even start to think about what her two kids are going by.
"Please be reassured that our sole focus is Nicola and that we're doing every little thing we will to search out her.
"It's not attainable to supply each piece of knowledge to the general public as a result of to take action would detract from the investigation, however I might wish to thank everybody who has assisted us up to now and for the assist supplied to Nicola's household at this extraordinarily troublesome time. They're being supported and up to date all through."
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Mr Matthews shouldn't be the primary to query Lancashire Police's speculation Ms Bulley fell within the river.
Forensics skilled Peter Faulding has disputed cthe declare, arguing investigators ought to have discovered proof by now given how lengthy they've been looking the water for clues.
Mr Faulding, the pinnacle of personal diving staff Specialist Group Worldwide (SGI), stated his staff of specialists and divers, based mostly in Dorking, Surrey, has labored with Lancashire Police and searched "three or 4 miles" of river till it acquired darkish.
He stated on Monday: "It is a detrimental search, no indicators of Nicola."
His staff is because of scour one other stretch of the river on Tuesday "in the direction of the place Nicola went initially lacking".
Mr Faulding instructed the BBC on Tuesday he's "very shocked" Ms Bulley has not been present in river searches.
He stated: "From all my expertise, I'd count on a physique when it goes down and drowns, to go straight all the way down to the underside, and stay there till the physique begins to decompose after which it'll begin shifting."
He added that there's not sufficient of a present within the River Wyre, the place police consider Ms Bulley might have fallen, for her to have been moved downstream on the day she went lacking.
In the meantime, Mr Matthews - who has 20 years of expertise in forensics and labored on excessive profile circumstances, together with Grenfell Tower and Mick Philpott, who was discovered responsible of inflicting the deaths of six of his kids in 2013 - stated by now he would have anticipated forensics specialists to have gathered all "materials of curiosity" from the scene.
He stated: "The one subsequent factor that will come alongside is that if they discover one thing that might counsel a specific sequence of occasions. The plain factor they should discover is a physique."
On the scene, he added: "It is the type of scene I'd not need to stick my neck out on... Possibly they have not discovered something particular, however the absence of proof shouldn't be essentially proof of absence. I am certain the police shall be conserving an open thoughts.
"As a forensic scientist, you might be underneath numerous strain, however with out proof to assist a speculation, you'll be able to't pull a rabbit out of the hat."
He described the scene the place Ms Bulley went lacking because the primary downside for investigators because of the reality it's so open to the weather and has been accessible to the general public.
Mr Matthews stated: "It's outside. Fragile proof shall be in danger. This time of yr it is going to be an actual problem to get stuff."
He stated Ms Bulley's cell phone shall be a significant piece of proof, however recommended any proof from the physique of her springer spaniel, Willow, could be handled with warning as a result of it may very well be troublesome so far any soil or fibres on the canine.
On why Ms Bulley's cell phone was left behind, he stated: "It is not one thing you are actually in a position to make a judgement on. It is circumstantial. There is perhaps fingerprints of different folks on it, DNA on there as properly. The telephone shall be a supply of curiosity. She may simply have put it down."
Paul Ansell, her accomplice, in the meantime stated in a press release: "This has been such a troublesome time for the ladies particularly but in addition for me and all of Nicola's household and buddies, in addition to the broader neighborhood and I need to thank them for his or her love and assist.
"We're additionally actually grateful to Peter and his staff from SGI for developing and serving to assist the work of Lancashire Police as they proceed their investigation."