A FORMER crime chief claims Nicola Bulley cops could be in breach of national guidelines over the two-week search for the missing mum.
Nicola, 45, was last seen in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, at around 9.15am on January 27.
Lancashire Police believe she fell in the River Wyre while walking her dog Willow.
But ex-Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill has now questioned the police investigation.
The former detective inspector is not the only one to raise doubts on the handling of the case.
The Sun Online has identified three key questions police must answer as the search reaches its 14th day.
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Why was a second force not brought in?
Mr Underhill told the Mirror that usually in a case like Nicola's, a second force would be brought in for a peer review.
The advice is outlined in the Major Crime Investigation Manual when a probe has attracted nationwide attention.
Mr Underhill said: "The recommendation is that you should get another force in to peer review what you’ve done".
But Lancashire Police have reportedly said it is their understanding such a move has not been carried out.
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The former cop said this is "not only unusual, it also means they are going against national guidance".
He added: "This is a very high profile case and we don’t know what’s happened.
"It’s extremely unusual not to seek a second opinion. If they haven’t called in a second opinion, the immediate question is why."
Why was third party involvement so quickly ruled out?
Police have said from the outset they believe there was no criminal element behind Nicola's disappearance.
Their "main working hypothesis" is the mortgage broker "sadly fell in the river".
But with no sign of Nicola two weeks on from when she was last seen, questions have been asked over how officers are so sure.
A former detective who exposed Jimmy Savile is among those left baffled by the police response.
Mark Williams-Thomas asked: "From very early on police were certain Nicola Bulley did not leave the location.
"I have always questioned this, they could not be certain about this given every exit route is NOT covered by working CCTV.
"This plays into my worry of looking for evidence to support a hypothesis."
Why was bench not sealed off sooner?
Police eventually cordoned off a footpath that leads to a bench where Nicola's phone was found still connected to a work call five days after her disappearance.
Her springer spaniel Willow was also found looking "agitated" in the area with her harness off.
Despite the search appearing to ramp up, police confirmed: "At this point there’s no suggestion of third party involvement.
“It’s being treated as a missing person enquiry."
But experts have questioned why the area was not sealed off in the first place amid fears evidence could have been lost.
Former Met Police Detective Chief Inspector Mick Neville, who was in charge of a missing person unit, said: "There are very few people who vanish without a trace.
"They must have realised something was really seriously wrong quite early on, and that bench was not sealed off. That was an opportunity lost."
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