The police watchdog has been in contact with Lancashire Constabulary over information made public in Wednesday’s (February 15) press conference about Nicola Bulley’s private life.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it met with the police force to determine if a referral is required.

This is after police revealed some personal information about the missing Inskip mum.

In the press conference, police said the case was immediately deemed as a high-risk as Ms Bulley's family highlighted Nicola's 'vulnerabilities'. 

At the time, police declined to provide further information about these vulnerabilities.

In a statement issued later, police revealed that Nicola had some “significant issues” with alcohol in the past “which were brought on by her ongoing struggles with the menopause.”

Police also revealed that officers and health professionals attended a report of concern for welfare at Nicola’s home address on January 10.

The release of this information has been met with anger from some but the force defended their decision in order to “avoid any further speculation or misinterpretation”.

In a statement, a spokesman for the IOPC said: “Following information that was made public by Lancashire Constabulary yesterday, we have made contact with the force to determine if a referral to the IOPC may be required.”

In a statement released today (February 16) Nicola’s family said they were aware that police intended to release the information.

The family hope the information will stop people “speculating and threatening to sell stories about [Nicola].”

The family said: "Due to the peri-menopause Nikki suffered with significant side effects such as brain fog, restless sleep and was taking HRT to help but this was giving her intense headaches which caused Nikki to stop taking the HRT thinking that may have helped her but only ended up causing this crisis.

"The public focus has to be on finding her and not making up wild theories about her personal life.”

Ms Bulley vanished after dropping off her daughters, aged six and nine, at school on January 27 in St Michael’s on Wyre.

She was last seen at 9.10am taking her usual route with her springer spaniel Willow, alongside the River Wyre.

Police have continued to comb the River Wyre and surrounding area down and out into the sea.

Nicola is white, 45 years old, 5ft 3ins tall, with light brown shoulder-length hair.

She speaks with an Essex accent. She was last seen wearing a long, knee length black quilted gilet with a hood. She had a black Engelbert Strauss coat underneath which had long sleeves and came to her waist.

She was wearing tight black jeans and had long green walking socks tucked into her jeans. She was wearing size five ankle length green wellington boots from Next.

Her hair was tied into a ponytail. She was wearing a pale blue Fitbit.

Anyone with information or footage is asked to submit information through the Major Incident Public Portal (MiPP) at Public Portal (mipp.police.uk)