Nicola Bulley.

 In January 2023 a young mother Nicola Bulley, disappeared after dropping the two children off at school. She went for a short walk along the river bank and wasn't seen alive again. What had happened to her? The social media like Tick Tock went into overdrive with a galaxy of fantastic stories. So called, amateur sleuths - went to the village were Nicola, lived and were a major distraction to the police trying to do their job. Others accused the husband of having murdered her. He said in an interview, that he "dreaded the end of each day, when she hadn't been found". Another long cold night lay ahead. One issue that had troubled Nicola, was the onset of the Menopause and it's physical and psychological effects. She was according to her husband Paul, "sleeping badly". Tragically Nicola, was discovered in the river a few weeks later. She had apparently slipped into the icy river by accident and drowned. 

The police were heavily criticised for a gross failure to fully understand the new - media age of Tick Tock, Facebook and podcasts. This unnecessary - vacuum was therefore filled - by the unofficial media world. As a direct consequence, the more lurid and outlandish theories - were perpetuated and went unchecked. Police forces across the country should learn from these failings and the College of Policing - there is such an organisation - should develop a proper format for the future.

There was a programme on BBC1 last night -The Search for Nicola Bulley. It  addressed these underlying issues with the case and in particular the distressing role of social media and many failures of the police. One thing that stands out is - how completely unprepared an ordinary normal family are for the - circus of social media.