COPS have been slammed for saying missing mum Nicola Bulley struggled with "vulnerabilities", including "significant issues with alcohol".

Mum-of-two Nicola has been missing since January 27 after she vanished while walking her dog in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire.

In a statement on February 15, cops looking into her disappearance revealed that she had been classed as a "high risk" missing person due to her "vulnerabilities".

They added that revealing these "vulnerabilities" was an "unusual" but necessary step.

This means that there was a "real and immediate" danger to the safety of either Nicola or the public.

Lancashire Police said: "Sadly, it is clear from speaking to Paul and the family that Nicola had in the past suffered with some significant issues with alcohol which were brought on by her ongoing struggles with the menopause and that these struggles had resurfaced over recent months.”

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But Brits have slammed the police as “disgusting and misogynistic” for revealing the sensitive and private information.

One wrote: “Police have given the information about Mr's Nicola Bulley's lifestyle and really cops should not have put it out there!" 

“That she had an issue with the Alcohol and that for sure! Disgusting of the Police to say that Alcohol was misused!”

Another fumed: “Why do I need to know that a missing woman had difficulty with alcohol and symptoms related to the menopause? Highly personal details.”

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A third added: “They are really out here pushing the menopause/alcohol line with Nicola Bulley aren’t they? Vile!”

Broadcaster Fern Britton, 65, also blasted police for creating an “undertone” around the search

She said in a tweet: ”I am uncomfortable with the latest news suggesting that Nicola Bulley has an issue with alcohol and menopause.

“The undertone is that she maybe ‘a bit unstable’ or perhaps even ‘not in her right mind.’ Too easy to write a woman off like this. What lies behind it?”

It comes after dive expert Peter Faulding said that his investigation would have been different, and may have been more accurate, if cops had told him that she was a high risk missing person.

Last night he told Jeremy Kyle on TalkTV that the information would have changed his "whole search strategy".

It comes as…

• Police reveal officers were called to the family home just weeks before Nicola went missing
• Nicola Bulley cops say the missing mum was deemed 'high risk' due to 'vulnerabilities'
• Detectives revealed in a press conference they are investigating three possible scenarios over her disappearance
• But cops insisted there is still no suggestion of a third party being involved
• Police are now taking over her social media accounts as part of the investigation
• Follow our blog for the latest news

Mr Faulding said: "If I'd known this information on day one… I’ve worked on complex murder cases, missing people since 1999. If I'd been given that information and I am trusted that wouldn't have been handed to the media.

"It would have been confidential and I would have changed my whole search strategy. I assumed that Nicola had slipped into the river and it’s only two foot deep at the bottom of the bank. 

"That's why I've been so adamant that she's not in that part of the river – we thoroughly searched it. If she jumped in or intended to take her own life or walked off or wherever she is, that would change my whole plan."

The nation has been gripped by Nicola's disappearance after her mobile was found on a bench still connected to a work conference call.

Nicola’s pet springer spaniel Willow was also found – but there was no trace still of the mum-of-two.

Officers previously released a timeline of the missing mum’s final movements before she disappeared.

Nicola began her walk along the towpath to the River Wyre at 8.43am after dropping her two children off at school.

Police say around seven minutes later, a dog walker who knows Nicola saw her walking around the lower field with her springer spaniel Willow.

The witness said their two dogs interacted briefly before she left Nicola via the river path.

At 8.53am, the mum sent an email to her boss at Exclusively Mortgages.

She then logged into a Teams call at 9.01am and was seen around nine minutes later on the upper field walking Willow.

Police say at 9.30am, the work call ended but Nicola stayed logged on.

At around 9.35am, the mobile and Willow were found at a bench by the river but there was no sign of Nicola.

Police are probing a two hour gap between Nicola's last sighting and when she was reported missing at 11am.

Nicola has been described as white, 5ft 3ins tall with light-brown shoulder-length hair.

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She was last seen wearing an ankle-length black quilted gilet jacket with a black Engelbert Strauss waist-length coat underneath and black tight-fitting jeans.

She had long green walking socks tucked into her jeans, ankle-length green Next wellies, a necklace and a pale blue Fitbit on.

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