Body found in search for man in River Thames

Emergency services have been searching the water and river banks for the man

A body has been found in the search for a man who went missing after getting into difficulty in the River Thames.

A major search operation was launched after a 23-year-old man was reported to have gone missing at Buscot Lock, near Faringdon, Oxfordshire, just after 21:10 BST on Saturday.

Temporary Ch Supt Lis Knight said the man was with a group of friends who tried to retrieve him from the water but were unable to do so.

Following an extensive search involving the National Police Air Service and specialist dive teams, the body of a young man was found on Sunday afternoon, Thames Valley Police said.

The man has yet to be formally identified but Ch Supt Knight said it was believed to the missing man and his family had been made aware.

Ch Supt Knight said: "Extensive searches were taken to locate [him], and I am saddened to confirm that we have located a young man's body.

"[His] family have been kept updated throughout the day."

An investigation will be conducted on behalf of the Oxfordshire coroner, but police do not believe the death to be suspicious.

Ch Supt Knight said: "It is a very tragic outcome, and the thoughts of all of us at Thames Valley Police remain with [his] family at this extremely distressing time."