Inquest hears rugby star over limit on fatal drive

FORMER England rugby player Tom Voyce was almost three times over the drink-driving limit when he attempted to cross a swollen ford in his pickup truck, an inquest heard.

- DANIEL HALL

The inquest into Mr Voyce’s death resumed yesterday at Northumberland Coroners’ Court at County Hall in Morpeth, after being adjourned in January.

Mr Voyce died after attempting to cross the River Aln in his Toyota Hilux during Storm Darragh. His body was found on December 12 in deep water near Abberwick Mill on the River Aln after a major search operation.

Yesterday's hearing concluded that Mr Voyce’s death was an accident, with the medical cause of his death immersion in water.

The inquest heard that, on Saturday, December 7, Mr Voyce was one of a group of 16 people who attended an organised shoot on Rothill Farm with his brother-in-law, Hugh Wood. Some members of the group later went to the Queen’s Head pub in Glanton, including Mr Voyce.

Mr Wood said: “Tom was on his normal good form, good craic.” He added that he was not aware of Tom's plans for getting home to Alnwick, eight miles from the pub.

Lisa Chisholm, landlady of the Queen’s Head, said that Tom had had a bar tab, and had drunk around four and a half bottles of Magners. She said: “(He was) absolutely fine, he stood at the end of the bar most of the evening. He was in good spirits and was good conversation.”