by A body has been found during the search for former England rugby player Tom Voyce.
The 43-year-old was feared dead after his empty 4×4 was recovered from the River Aln, near Alnwick, Northumberland, which he had attempted to ford during Storm Darragh.
It is understood Mr Voyce’s Toyota Hilux was found about 15 meters downstream from the point where he attempted to cross the river on Saturday evening.
Specialist police divers discovered a body less than 500 meters downstream in the river near Abberwick Mill on Thursday.
Formal identification has not yet taken place, but Mr Voyce’s next of kin have been informed and are currently being cared for by specialist officers.
Concerns were raised about the former England rugby international on Sunday after he failed to return home following a night out with friends the previous evening.
It is believed the 43-year-old had entered the River Aln after attempting to cross Abberwick Ford in heavy rain.
Drone searches of the rural area were carried out by Northumbria Police, mountain rescue and Mr Voyce’s family and friends.
Northumbria Police said they were facing “very difficult conditions, particularly due to the flow of the river and the significantly high level following the exceptionally heavy rain over the weekend”.
Chief Superintendent Helena Barron said: “This is an extremely sad development and our thoughts continue to be with Tom’s loved ones.
“I would like to thank all our officers, partners and volunteers for their assistance throughout the search which was carried out in very difficult circumstances.
“We will continue to ask people to respect the family’s privacy at this time.”
The police spokesperson said Mr Voyce’s wife, Anna, and his entire family had expressed their gratitude for the help and support from police, friends and the local community.
Officers do not believe a third party was involved in the disappearance.
Mr Voyce grew up on a family farm in Truro on January 5, 1981 before leaving Cornwall at the age of 16 to join Bath.
He would win nine England caps between 2001 and 2006, scoring three tries, including two against Samoa in his first Test appearance at Twickenham in 2005.
He is best known for helping London Wasps win the Premiership title at Twickenham in each of his first two seasons with the Adams Park side – scoring 15 tries in 34 appearances during the 2003–04 campaign, where they also won the Heineken Cup in one season. for the ages.
The following year, he scored a try in the Premiership final as Leicester Tigers were dispatched to Wasps’ third successive title.
The rugby world expressed shock and sadness at his passing, including messages from World Cup winners Matt Dawson and Lawrence Dallaglio.
After retiring from rugby in 2013, Mr Voyce became a high-profile urban trader before looking to start a business closer to his Northumberland home.
Returning to his agricultural roots, he established Trevow Vegetation Management, reducing invasive species in the hills for farmers around his home.
Well known to locals, he was considered a fervent innovator when he purchased his first remote-controlled “flail robot” to cut down hedges in 2020.
River levels were particularly high this weekend, with a gauge showing water levels barely visible during Storm Darragh, residents said.
A local said The Independent: “The river is two fields below our house, under normal circumstances you cannot see it because the water is well below the height of the bank.
“It crosses a deep cut for some distance in both directions. If you can see water from here, I won’t take that route.
“Saturday evening, the weather was quite extreme with the storm, the rain had been falling hard since Friday with violent winds.
“A little further from the ford there is a bridge over the river, but we knew that the river had overflowed and that this road would also be impassable.”
Writing on Let’s all respect Tom’s family and their suffering at this time and keep them in all our thoughts. »
Matt Dawson, who played alongside Mr Voyce at Wasps between 2004 and 2006, previously said he could not “express his sadness”.
Premiership Rugby said it was “devastated” and was thinking of Mr Voyce’s loved ones.
