A BODY, thought to be that of missing student Luke Pearce, was found in the River Wear in Durham today.

Members of Durham Amateur Rowing Club reported seeing a body in the river near to Baths Bridge, in the Elvet Riverside area of the city.

It was spotted on the St Hild and St Bede College side of the Wear, beneath the riverbanks footpath, at 8.45am, a week after the 19-year-old Durham University student was reported missing following a night out in the city.

Since concern was raised last Sunday police have been co-ordinating a major search along the river in the city in an effort to try to find the first-year undergraduate, who hails from Hounslow, in Surrey.

He was studying engineering and was a member of St Cuthbert’s Society at the university.