Carnival of hysteria over Nicola Bulley shows us the very worst of modern human nature

Bulley’s family faced a cruel sleuthing free-for-all on social media. But it is a breakdown of trust between the public and the police that got us here

Flowers, and ribbons on a bridge over the River Wyre in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, after Nicola Bulley's body was found. Picture: Dave Nelson/PA Wire

Nicola Bulley’s family now has a fresh agony to endure, now that the body found a mile from where she was last seen has been identified, seemingly confirming Lancashire police force’s original hypothesis: that she was likely to have fallen into the river.

For Lancashire constabulary, however, being proven right will inspire no retrospective confidence in them — this entire sad period has spoken of a complete breakdown in trust between the public and the authorities, in this case, the police.