England rugby star Tom Voyce missing in Storm Darragh flood

Police fear former England rugby international Tom Voyce may have died after he went missing in an area of Northumberland which was flooded during Storm Darragh.

Northumbria Police said it received a report on Sunday the 43-year-old had not returned to his home following an evening with friends.

It is suspected Mr Voyce attempted to cross Abberwick Ford, near Alnwick, in his car which was then pulled along by the current of the river.

Officers have since recovered his car, but a force spokesperson said: “It is believed in his attempts to escape he has been swept away and tragically died.”

The storm brought severe weather to the UK from the early hours of Saturday morning, prompting a number of flood warnings.

Mr Voyce, from Truro in Cornwall, played for England from 2001 until 2006, before retiring from the sport in 2013.

He has been living in Alnwick since 2020.

Specialist officers from the Northumbria Police’s Marine Section, the National Police Air Service, drones and dog handlers have all been deployed in the search.

Volunteers from the North of Tyne Mountain Rescue have also been assisting alongside Mr Voyce’s family and friends.