Police searching for missing mum want to ‘learn lessons’ from Nicola Bulley case

Police searching for missing mother Gaynor Lord whose belongings were found near a river say they want to learn lessons from detectives who worked on the Nicola Bulley case. The 55-year-old vanished after leaving work early on Friday (December 8). Her belongings - including clothing, a mobile phone, glasses and two rings - were found scattered near the River Wensum, about 1.5 miles from her workplace in Norwich city centre.

Norfolk Constabulary believes "it is likely" Ms Lord may have entered the water. Footage of her last-known steps before she went missing was released by police today (December 13). Norwich policing commander Superintendent Wes Hornigold has now said that the force are 'linking in' with detectives who worked on the Nicola Bulley case.

The mother-of-two from Lancashire went missing while walking her dog in St Michael's on Wyre earlier this year. Her body was found about a mile away in the River Wyre on February 19 following an extensive search and a coroner later ruled her death was an accident. A College of Policing review of the investigation published last week described the search and investigation into Nicola's disappearance as 'exemplary'.

However, it criticised senior officers who worked on the case and issued 17 recommendations. Speaking on LBC about the search for Gaynor Lord, Supt Hornigold: "We will absolutely - and have done - be linking in with Lancashire Constabulary to understand any of the lessons learned from that inquiry. "We've already had meetings with the National Crime Agency in terms of understanding any specific skills and knowledge in respect to water searching."

He added: "We're cognisant of the recent College of Policing report into the Lancashire inquiry, so we're leaving no stone unturned and making sure we're doing everything within our power to find Gaynor as quickly as possible." It comes after the force released footage of the last time Ms Lord was captured on CCTV cameras before her disappearance. The footage shows her jogging up the cobbled Bedford Street after leaving work at the Bullards Gin counter in Jarrolds department store at 2.45pm, more than an hour before her shift was due to end at 4pm.

She was wearing a white shirt and a yellow tank top, and was carrying her large olive-coloured coat beneath her arm. She can be seen on the footage walking on to London Street at 2.47pm and then crossing the road on Queen Street without waiting for a red light, narrowly missing moving traffic, heading towards the cathedral. Around 30 minutes later, at 3.22pm, video shows Ms Lord putting her jacket on as she walks away from Norwich Cathedral.

At 3.49pm, CCTV captured her walking along St George's Street near to the Playhouse theatre. She then walked along St Crispins Road towards Pitt Street at 3.53pm. She was last sighted by CCTV on St Augustines Street at 4.01pm, police said.

Ms Lord is described as white, 5ft 6in, and has a blonde shoulder-length bob.

References

1. ^ Cause of sudden death revealed for police chief, 50, who led Nicola Bulley search (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
2. ^ Today's top Manchester Evening News stories (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)