Two bodies found in crashed car amid search for missing men who vanished more than a week ago

Two bodies have been discovered in a crashed car by police amid the search for two Preston men reported missing by their families more than a week ago.

The bodies, thought to be William Hutchinson, 31, and Stuart Tallis, 27, were located inside a blue Peugeot 106 by specialist search officers yesterday.

The vehicle was found concealed in dense undergrowth alongside the A584 Preston New Road near Newton with Clifton shortly after midday on Saturday.

Lancashire Police said the car had been hidden from view off the westbound carriageway.

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Formal identification procedures have yet to be completed, though officers believe the deceased are the two missing men.

Both men had been reported missing from the Lancashire city following separate disappearances.

The families of Mr Hutchinson and Mr Tallis have been notified of the development and are receiving assistance from specially trained officers.

Investigators believe the collision occurred at approximately half past five in the morning on June 24.

The car is thought to have departed the carriageway at that time and remained undiscovered for more than 10 days.

The Peugeot was located close to where the A584 meets the A583 Blackpool Road.

The vehicle had become obscured by thick vegetation, making it difficult to spot from the road.

Mr Hutchinson had last been seen during the early morning hours of June 24 at an address on Hull Street in Preston while Mr Tallis was last observed in the Fishwick View area of the city at around half past one that same morning.

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Police enquiries subsequently led officers to conclude the two men may have been travelling together. Mr Tallis was formally reported missing three days after he was last seen.

Lancashire Police have issued an appeal for anyone who witnessed the Peugeot travelling on the A584 in the minutes before the incident to contact officers.

Motorists who were in the area around that time are being urged to review any dashcam or CCTV recordings they may have.

Sergeant Martin Wilcock of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit said officers were determined to establish the complete circumstances surrounding what appeared to be a tragic incident.

"Two men have lost their lives in what appears to be extremely tragic circumstances, and my thoughts are very much with their loved ones at this sad time," he said.

"I know a number of my colleagues were involved in the searches for William and Stuart and I know they were hoping for a happier conclusion."

He added: "My job now is to establish the full circumstances which led to the collision, and that is why I would ask any witnesses or anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage which could help the investigation to make contact with my officers."

Lancashire Police had previously launched extensive appeals to trace the two men and officers had been actively searching for them.

Investigators had released CCTV footage showing the Peugeot travelling along the A584 before it disappeared.

The force is now asking anyone with information about the collision to come forward.

Witnesses can contact the Serious Collision Investigation Unit by emailing SCIU@lancashire.police.uk or by telephoning 101, quoting log number 613 of July 4.

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