Lancashire Police refer themselves to watchdog over prior contact with Nicola Bulley

Lancashire Police have referred themselves to the police watchdog over contact the force had with Nicola Bulley prior to her disappearance.The Independent Office for Police Conduct said they were assessing the information to determine whether an investigation would be necessary over the contact officers had with Ms Bulley on 10 January. The referral comes after family of the missing mother-of-two, 45, called for an end to "speculation and rumours" about her private life. Police have been criticised for disclosing that she suffered "some significant issues with alcohol" in the past.