Body found on riverside identified as missing man
The body of a man found in the River Severn has been identified as a missing Wyre Forest man.
Officers from Gwent Police identified the body, which was found on the shoreline of the River Severn near Frampton-on-Severn in Gloucestershire on Saturday, as 30-year-old Thomas Bates from Stourport-on-Severn.
Mr Bates had been reported as missing from Chepstow in Monmouthshire in Wales on Tuesday, March 2, having last been seen in a Tesco Superstore at around 9.30pm.
An appeal was launched soon after, with Mr Bates described as a 5ft 9ins tall man with a slim build, shaved head and tattoos of song lyrics and phrases on each arm, wearing a grey coat with fur around the hood, a light grey hooded jumper, black jogging bottoms, white trainers and a baseball cap.
A spokesman for Gwent Police said the body had been found at around 3.10pm and, after formal identification, it was found to be Mr Bates.
The force said the death was not being treated as suspicious and Mr Bates's family had been informed, as had the coroners office.
The spokesman for Gwent Police said: "The body of a man was found in the Gloucestershire area at around 3.10pm on Saturday 1 April.
"We can confirm formal identification has taken place and the man has been identified as Thomas Bates, 30, from Stourport-on-Severn.
"The death is not being treated as suspicious. His family and HM Coroner have been informed.
"Thank you to everyone who helped in trying to locate Thomas."
