The search continues to find former England rugby player Tom Voyce believed to have died after his car got swept into a fast-flowing river during Storm Darragh.
The 43-year-old’s car has been recovered from the River Aln, near Alnwick, Northumberland, which he had been trying to cross on Saturday night using a ford.
Mr Voyce won nine caps for England during his career, and in club rugby played for teams including London Wasps, Bath, and Gloucester.
Searchers gathered from first light this morning and will scour the banks of the river from the ford between Bolton and Abberwick, all the way to the sea at Alnmouth.
A water level indicator at the crossing showed the river was still around one foot deep this morning, but would have been much higher at the weekend when Storm Darragh lashed the UK.
The search includes specialist officers from the force’s Marine Section, the National Police Air Service, drones and dog handlers. Volunteers are also looking for the rugby player alongside his family and friends – including his wife Anna Wood, who he married in 2015.
Loved ones have left a floral tribute – a bunch of red roses – to Mr Voyce on the riverbank.
The sportsman has not been seen since Saturday following an evening with friends, and his suspected death has deeply upset the rugby union community.
Matt Dawson, who played alongside Mr Voyce at Wasps, posted a photo of Mr Voyce on Instagram alongside the caption: ‘One of life’s wonderful humans… I can’t express my sadness right now… All the Dawsons send their love & strength to Anna and the whole family.’
England Rugby said on X, formerly Twitter: ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Tom Voyce at this extremely challenging time.’
Gloucester Rugby also posted on X, writing: ‘Gloucester Rugby is desperately sad to hear the distressing news regarding our former player and friend, Tom Voyce. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tom’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.’
Mr Voyce won nine caps for England during his career and spent six years at Wasps, from 2003 to 2009, where he helped the team win European and domestic titles, moving there from Bath and then leaving to join Gloucester in 2009.
He made a total of 220 Premiership appearances before retiring in May 2013.
Storm Darragh devastated the UK over the weekend after 96mph winds crushed cars, wrecked homes and uprooted trees, while heavy downpours caused rivers to burst their banks and flood the streets of nearby towns.
Northumbria Police said the ‘exceptionally heavy rain’ from Storm Darragh had ‘significantly’ increased the River Aln’s water level and flow.
A force spokesperson said: ‘At this time, it is suspected Tom has attempted to cross Abberwick Ford in his car, which has then been pulled along with the current of the river.
‘Officers have since recovered his car, but sadly Tom is yet to be found. It is believed in his attempts to escape he has been swept away and tragically died.’
Chief Superintendent Helena Barron, from Northumbria Police, said: ‘This is an extremely tragic incident, and our thoughts are very much with Tom’s loved ones at this time.
‘Our officers continue to support his family and we would ask that their privacy is respected.
‘Extensive enquiries have been ongoing since concerns were raised for Tom, including deploying specialist teams to search for him.’
Those carrying out the searches are doing so in a coordinated manner and are either trained or know the local area and terrain well.
Members of the public have been asked not to attend the scene to conduct their own searches.
The spokesperson said Mr Voyce’s wife Anna and all his family expressed their gratitude for all the help and support from the police, friends and the local community in helping find Mr Voyce.
Mr Voyce was born in Truro, Cornwall, and went on to be educated at Penair School in Truro. He continued his education at King’s College in Taunton.
Outside of rugby he was an ambassador of the Wooden Spoon Society, a children’s charity. It supports kids and young people with disabilities or living in disadvantage in the UK and Ireland.
The star started his playing career with Bath Rugby, working his way up through the lower sides before debuting for their Premiership team.
While at Bath he became an established member of the England under-21 side and in 2001 he made his senior England debut against the USA – his first of nine.
In 2003 after 55 appearances with Bath, Mr Voyce would go on to join London Wasps, where he would play the majority of his senior club rugby.
During the 2004 season he set the record for the quickest try ever scored as he gathered a loose ball from kick off and crossed by the posts in 9.63 against Harlequins.
He also scored a try in the 2005 Premiership rugby final, helping Wasps secure their third consecutive title.
It is here that he became an established member of the England team, having been selected for each of England’s Six Nations matches during the 2006 tournament.
Mr Voyce came off the bench in England’s opening tie, scoring in the process before starting in the second match.
He made a further start for England in the 2006 Six Nations this time against Ireland as England sputtered throughout the tournament.
His final England cap came against in Sydney, in a performance he admitted himself was quite poor, and his international career ended with nine caps and 15 points.
In March 2009 it was announced Mr Voyce would join Gloucester, where he spent three years.
His final stop in his career was London Welsh who he joined in April 2012, with the sportsman announcing his retirement from all forms of Rugby in May 2013.