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The widow of former England rugby player Tom Voyce said his family have been left “absolutely devastated” after he was swept away while driving across a swollen river.
The 43-year-old former wing’s car was washed away crossing a ford on the River Aln near Alnwick, Northumberland, last weekend during Storm Darragh.
Following several days of intensive searches, involving the emergency services as well as local volunteers, a body was found in the river on Thursday, several hundred metres downstream from the ford.
The body has now been officially confirmed to be that of Mr Voyce.
His wife Anna said in a statement: “Absolutely devastated and heartbroken doesn’t even describe how we feel.
“My main focus now is our son Oscar, having done what he asked, ‘find Daddy’.
“All of Tom’s family were involved in the search.
“I will be forever grateful to my brothers Hugh and Jamie, Aidan Philipson and Garry Whitfield for co-ordinating the search party working alongside the police teams.
“Tom would be blown away by the amount of people that were out there helping.
“We have all been overwhelmed by the support of friends, many travelling from far afield to help with the search.
“We are just so lucky to live in such a special community that pulled together to find Tom.”
She said the family moved from London to Northumberland in 2019 and her husband left his role with the bank Investec and set up a business, Trevow Vegetation Management.
He established himself within the Northumberland and Scottish Borders rural communities, many of whom have turned up to help with the search, Mrs Voyce said.
She added: “Tom was fully immersed in Alnwick Rugby Club and was much loved by Oscar’s under sevens team which he coached with gusto, giving back to the game that gave him so much.
“Oscar is immensely proud of his daddy and he was the best father and role model that Oscar could have asked for.
“Tom was proud, and cherished, his rugby memories and as an adopted ‘Northumbrian’ local he leaves a hole in so many of our hearts.
“With his big warm smile, passion and funny stories he loved nothing better than sitting round a table chatting with family and friends.”
Mr Voyce studied at Cirencester Agricultural College where he met his future brother-in-law Jamie, then befriended Anna.
They married at Babington House, Somerset in 2015.
Having worked for the British Lions as a consultant, she set up her own online homeware brand, OSSKI after the birth of their son.
Mr Voyce’s mother Christine still lives in Cornwall, where he grew up with his late father Michael and younger sister, Emily, who has moved to New York.
The family has thanked the police, mountain rescue and all the specialist teams who helped in the search, and they have asked for privacy.
Concerns were raised for Mr Voyce on Sunday when he failed to return home after being out with friends on Saturday.
His Toyota Hilux was recovered downstream from Abberwick Ford and police suspected he was swept away while trying to escape from the vehicle.
The river level was particularly high at the weekend when Storm Darragh lashed the UK.
A major search operation was launched involving Northumbria Police, drones, the police helicopter, coastguard officers and the North of Tyne and Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Teams.
Family and friends of the much-loved former rugby player also joined the search.
On Thursday, specialist officers from Northumbria Police’s Marine Unit made the find in the river near Abberwick Mill.
The world of rugby expressed its shock and sadness when he went missing, including messages from World Cup winners Matt Dawson and Lawrence Dallaglio, who lost his sister in the Marchioness disaster in the Thames in 1989.
Voyce won nine caps for England during his career and spent six years at Wasps, from 2003 to 2009, where he helped them win European and domestic titles, moving there from Bath and then leaving to join Gloucester in 2009.
He made 220 Premiership appearances before retiring in May 2013.
More follows on this breaking news story
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