Two men arrested after body of soldier, 22, found in river – as probe into ‘car ramming’ & disturbance at home continues

TWO men have been arrested after the mysterious death of a 22-year-old soldier whose disappearance on a night out sparked a major search. Liam Potts was found dead in a river on Tuesday, three days after he was reported missing. The alarm was raised when Liam didn’t return home after a night out with friends Credit: Facebook His body was found during the search earlier this week Credit: Only forces facebook Two suspects, aged 22 and 23, have now been detained in connection with the case. The same pair had been arrested on Monday and then bailed, but they have since been re-arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Liam, who was serving with the Coldstream Guards, was last seen heading towards Wylam in Northumberland at around 12.20am on August 15. He was wearing black joggers, black Nike trainers and a black T-shirt with white text and a diamond logo on the back, and a gold chain. Liam was a British soldier on leave Credit: Jam Press He was found dead on Tuesday Credit: Ministry of Defence Extensive searches were carried out, with specialist officers from Northumbria Police’s Marine Unit finding the soldier in the River Tyne close to Wylam Bridge. Liam’s family and friends were also involved in the search. Before he disappeared, Northumbria Police had received a report of a disturbance and subsequent collision involving a vehicle and a group of pedestrians on the bridge. Police are now probing whether the disturbance or collision directly led to Liam entering the water. Most read in The Sun Liam was not in the vehicle involved in the collision, and he was not struck by it, cops confirmed. When the soldier’s body was found, there was not believed to be any third-party involvement. However, further inquiries have triggered the latest arrests. A man and a woman, both in their 20s, suffered serious injuries in the crash. The woman has since been discharged but the man remains in hospital. No formal identification of the body has taken place, but Liam’s next-f-kn have been informed. His family said he was the “heart of soul of any room”. They said: “To our Liam. 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.’ “You really were the heart and soul of any room. “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.” Comment now