Body found in Britain; could miss a woman

LONDON (AP) — Police have found a body in a river in northwest England near where a woman who went missing three weeks ago was last seen, authorities said Sunday. of Lancashire. Until now, the identity of the body was unknown.

The search for Nicola Bulley, 45, has captivated Britain since she disappeared on January 27 while walking her dog along the River Wyre. It has also spawned something of a circus in the small community of St Michael’s, as speculation on social media has attracted amateur sleuths.

Suspected rescuers broke into abandoned buildings as police said a thorough search was underway. Some carried out night patrols, challenging locals who came face to face with strangers knocking on their doors and prowling their gardens.

Bulley, a mortgage adviser, was last seen shortly after taking her daughters, aged 6 and 9, to school on a Friday morning.

Lancashire Police, who have dedicated 40 detectives to the investigation, have come under fire as the days go by.

In an apparent effort to respond, authorities said Bulley was classified as a “high risk” missing person “based on a number of specific vulnerabilities”. He later revealed that she had a problem with alcohol and was premenopausal.

This disclosure has aggravated public backlash and even senior government officials, opposition leaders and victims’ advocates have denounced the disclosure of such personal information.

Police said Friday they would conduct an internal review of the investigation.