A HAIRDRESSER has apologised to the family of Nicola Bulley after filming the moment police recovered her body from the River Wyre.

Curtis Arnold, from Kidderminster, said he has 'learnt his lesson' after sharing the clip on his social media channels.

He runs the 'Curtis Media' account on TikTok, YouTube and Facebook and has been uploading videos on the Nicola Bulley police investigation in Lancashire.

He has now responded to backlash caused by the clip and has donated "five times the amount" the video made in royalties to the family.

In a new video explaining the controversial clip, he said: “When I arrived in St Michael's that day, about 11 o’clock, me and the mainstream media were talking and we could see the helicopter hovering, so we all headed over the field.

“They had to collect all their big camera stuff so I got there first.

“We just presumed that some evidence had been found maybe car keys, an item of clothing, something like that. Never in a million years did I think that it would be a body.

“The police could clearly see me filming so there is no way it was covertly filmed. I was blatantly in sight on top of the river bank filming on my phone.

“It wasn’t only me filming that footage and it wasn’t only me putting that footage online. The mainstream media had the same video, I went to join them afterwards and it was confirmed at that point the body was found.

"Only at that time was I aware of what had happened. The police didn’t say anything, I had no idea when I walked through the police, and I did not lie to get through the police to take that video".

Kidderminster Shuttle: The location on the River Wyre near St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, where police recovered the body earlier this monthThe location on the River Wyre near St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, where police recovered the body earlier this month (Image: PA)

The content creator claims that subsequent media coverage of the video has had a "devastating impact" on his life.

He said: “I’ve been assaulted, I’ve had my workplace damaged, I’ve had my car damaged, I’ve had people come to the house, I’ve had my personal address posted all over Facebook and shared”.

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The Sun newspaper revealed the identity of the content creator after tracking him down to his barber shop using his digital footprint.

He added: “In hindsight, perhaps it was a little bit sensitive, perhaps it was bad timing to put that video online as an individual journalist for Youtube rather than mainstream media.

"Perhaps mainstream media can get away with that. I just presumed they had taken the video and the viewers on Youtube would want to see what was happening and perhaps I didn’t take into account the family at that time – I admit that.

“That’s why I’ve taken it off TikTok, I’ve taken it off Facebook.

“I’ve made a donation to the family five times the amount that that particular video has made me – I won’t give figures away.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to apologise to the family for any upset caused by the videos".

He concluded his video with a message to Nicola Bulley's partner Paul Ansell.

He added: “Paul Ansell if you’re watching this I hope it hasn’t offended you too much and I wish you well with moving forward".