THE body of a 20-year-old man missing for five days has been found underneath a North-East viaduct.

Jason Tate, a landscape gardener from Consett, County Durham, had not been seen by his family since he returned from a night out with friends on Sunday.

After his mother raised the alarm on Monday night, a large-scale search by Teesdale and Weardale search and rescue team yesterday led to the discovery of a man's body.

It was found under the Hownsgill Viaduct, known locally as Gill Bridge, near his home in Somerset Road, Moorside.

The body was last night formally identified by a member of the family.

On the last day he was seen alive, he arrived home in a taxi after a night out with friends around Consett.

Before yesterday's discovery, police had appealed for help in tracing Mr Tate, who was known to be a popular local man, with many friends. As fears for his safety grew during the week, Derwentside Police joined forces with the 24-man search and rescue team to hunt for him.

They concentrated their search on Moorside, wooded areas towards Allensford and at the Gill Bridge. The death is not being treated as suspicious.