BBC
Missing mother Nicola Bulley had “significant issues” with alcohol brought on by her ongoing struggles with the menopause, police have said.
The 45-year-old went missing on 27 January during a riverside dog walk in St Michael’s on Wyre.
Officers said Ms Bulley had been considered a high-risk missing person from the start of the investigation.
Lancashire Police said it was called to a concern for welfare report at her home last month.
Health professionals also attended on 10 January, the force said, adding no arrests were made but it was being investigated.
A police spokesman said it was clear after speaking to Ms Bulley’s family she had “in the past suffered with some significant issues with alcohol which were brought on by her ongoing struggles with the menopause“.
“These struggles had resurfaced over recent months [and] this caused some real challenges for [her partner] Paul and the family,” the spokesman added.
The force said it had taken the “unusual step” to go into this level of detail as it was “important to clarify what we meant when we talked about vulnerabilities to avoid any further speculation or misinterpretation”.
“We have explained to Nicola’s family why we have released this further information and we would ask that their privacy is respected at this difficult time.”
