THE wife of former England rugby international Tom Voyce says she is ‘absolutely devastated’ after a body found in a flood-swollen river in Northumbria was confirmed to be him.

The 43-year-old, who hails from Truro, went missing last Saturday after attempting to cross Abberwick Ford over the River Aln, about three miles from Alnwick.

A major search operation was launched for the Cornishman, involving drones and a helicopter, along with his friends, family, members of the police, coastguard and mountain rescue teams.

Northumbria Police said they faced "very challenging conditions" due to the river flow and water level following "exceptionally heavy rain". His body was recovered near Abberwick Mill on Thursday.

In a statement released via Northumbria Police, Mr Voyce’s wife, Anna, said: “Absolutely devastated, 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 coordinating 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."

Mrs Voyce added that since relocating to Northumberland in 2019, her husband had left his role at Investec to set up a flourishing business, Trevow Vegetation Management, and had established himself within the Northumberland and Scottish Borders rural communities, many of whom have turned up to help with the search.

Mrs Voyce added: “Tom was fully immersed in Alnwick Rugby Club and was much-loved by Oscar’s under 7’s 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 sharing his latest creation on his Big Green Egg.”

Mr Voyce’s mother, Christine, still resides in Cornwall, where Tom grew up with his late father Michael and younger sister, Emily, who now lives in New York.

Mrs Voyce, meanwhile, is a former British & Irish Lions consultant, who worked on the 2009, 2013 & 2017 Tours before the arrival of their son Oscar in 2018 and is now founder of OSSKI an online homeware brand.

The statement concluded: ‘The whole family would like to thank the police, mountain rescue and all the specialist teams who helped in the search, but we ask that you continue to respect the family’s privacy in this heart-breaking time.’