Body is found in search for soldier involved in the Queen's funeral who disappeared after a bar fight and 'car ramming' in village

Published: 19:29, 18 August 2026 | Updated: 19:54, 18 August 2026 A body has been found in a river during a search for a young soldier who went missing after a bar fight and an alleged car ramming which left two people seriously injured. Liam Potts, 22, disappeared around 12.20am on Saturday morning in the village of Wylam, Northumberland.  The Coldstream Guard, who held a ceremonial role at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, vanished after night out with friends on the same night a car hit two people on Wylam Bridge. Mr Potts was not in the car nor was he hit but the soldier was seen walking away from the crash site. He was last seen on CCTV walking towards the village from the bridge, which straddles the River Tyne. Specialist officers from Northumbria Police's marine unit found a body today close to the bridge as the force said formal identification was yet to take place but the soldier's next of kin had been told of the discovery. Mr Potts did not return home after going out on Saturday night and was last seen wearing black jogging bottoms, black Nike trainers and a black T-shirt with white text and a diamond logo on the back. He was also wearing a gold chain, a CCTV image released by police showed. Liam Potts, a soldier in the Coldstream Guards, was last seen in the early hours of Saturday morning after a night out with friends Officers recovered a body from the River Tyne earlier today close to where the missing soldier was last seen He went missing near Wylam Bridge, Northumbria, after a pub fight and a car crash which happened in the area the previous evening  A CCTV image released by police showed Mr Potts dressed mostly in black and wearing a gold chain Officers previously said Mr Potts could have entered the water but it was unknown whether he had got out. Police said this evening after finding the body that there was believed to be no third-party involvement.  Detective chief inspector Sarah Robson, of Northumbria Police, said: 'This is an extremely sad development, and our thoughts are very much with Liam's family and friends. 'I would like to thank all of our officers, partners and volunteers for their assistance throughout the searches, along with everyone who shared our appeals and contacted us with information. 'We would continue to ask that people respect the family's privacy at this tragic time.' Mr Potts's family and friends had also been involved in the search. Police previously arrested two men, aged 22 and 23, in connection to the crash on the bridge the night Mr Potts went missing. A man and a woman, both in their 20s, suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries after the crash, during which a car is understood to have crashed into a group of pedestrians. The two men who were arrested have since been bailed as an investigation continued. Police received a report after Mr Potts's disappearance on Saturday which was concerned for his welfare. Officers were also called to a 'disturbance' at a house near to where the soldier was last seen. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.