Two men arrested over young soldier’s mysterious death in River Tyne

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after the death of a young soldier who disappeared on a night out with friends.

The two men, aged 22 and 23, were taken into police custody on Saturday.

It came four days after the body of Liam Potts, 22, was found in the River Tyne.

Mr Potts served with the Coldstream Guards, a regiment with a history stretching back to 1650.

He had gone missing following a night out and was last seen heading towards Wylam, in Northumberland, around 12.20am on 15 August.

His body was found a short distance away from Wylam Bridge.

Prior to his disappearance, Northumbria Police had received a report of a disturbance and subsequent collision involving a vehicle and a group of pedestrians on the bridge.

On Monday, police said that two men had been arrested and then bailed in connection with the report.

On Saturday, police said that the men had been re-arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

Detectives were investigating whether the disturbance and collision led to Mr Potts entering the water, they said.

Mr Potts was not in the vehicle involved in the collision, nor was he struck by it, police said.

When Mr Potts’s body was found, police did not believe there to be any third-party involvement. However, further inquiries had prompted the re-arrest of the men, police added.

A man and a woman, both in their 20s, suffered serious injuries in the collision.

The woman has since been been discharged from hospital, while the man remains in hospital for further treatment.

No formal identification of the body pulled from the River Tyne has taken place, but Mr Potts’s next-of-kin have been informed.

His family said he was the “heart of soul of any room”.

In a tribute addressed to “our Liam”, they said: “You may no longer be here beside us, but your presence will never be forgotten. Your family, friends and colleagues have all said the same thing, ‘once you met Pottsy, you could never forget him.’

“We are going to miss your smile, your laugh and the little things that made you who you are. Though time may pass, the love we have for you will never fade.

“You will always be remembered, and forever loved. Rest peacefully, knowing that your memory lives on in all those whose lives you touched.”

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Rachael Rutherford, of Northumbria Police, said: “Our thoughts remain with Liam’s family during this difficult time.

“The facts remain the same that Liam was on the bridge at the time of the collision, but he was not an occupant of the vehicle and was not struck by the vehicle.

“Inquiries have revealed that Liam, for reasons yet to be established, entered the water within minutes of the collision.

“We have therefore made the further re-arrests as we are looking to establish whether there is any link between the collision and Liam entering the water.”

Det Insp Rutherford added: “We know there has been a lot of confusion and speculation in the community. It’s clear that Liam was a very popular young man.

“We are committed to finding answers for Liam’s family and we will continue to provide updates on our investigation.

“We would remind people to avoid speculation both online and in our communities as this could impact the ongoing investigation.

“We would continue to ask that people respect the family’s privacy at this tragic time.”