Family and Army mourn soldier who died in river

Hundreds of people gathered for the funeral of a soldier who died in the River Tyne after a night out.

Liam Potts, 22, who served with the Coldstream Guards, was found dead close to Wylam Bridge on 18 August.

His funeral service took place at Hexham Abbey and he was given a guard of honour by the association of Coldstream Guards before a private burial attended by invited family and friends.

Paul Potts, Liam's father, said there were "lots of wonderful things being said about our son, which has genuinely touched our hearts".

He urged people to "hold, cuddle and cherish your loved ones" and to "smile, laugh and enjoy each other's company".

The Last Post was played and the Bishop of Newcastle Dr Helen-Ann Hartley gave a closing blessing.

Graham Booth, from the Doncaster regiment of the Coldstream Guards, said it was an honour to attend the funeral.

"We're coming up to honour a guardsman irrespective of the ages and where we are," he said.

"It's not a chore, it's an honour."

Robert Hardy, from the Newcastle regiment, said the guardsman were all one family.

"We're taking him on his last journey, laying him to rest," he said.

Hexham mayor Derek Kennedy said Liam Potts was well known in the area and his death was a "terrible tragedy".

"A young man with all his future in front of him and a career in the army," Kennedy said.

"It's so sad. I feel so sorry for the parents, it's not the natural order of things when you have to bury your children."

Clinical lead for veterans at the Hexham GP surgery, Claire Graham said she felt "absolute devastation" after the death of Potts.

She said: "I felt the need to come and pay my respects for everyone who couldn't get here."

Prior to Liam's disappearance in the early hours of 15 August, Northumbria Police said it received reports of a disturbance at The Boathouse pub and a subsequent crash at the bridge involving a car and group of pedestrians.

Police are still investigating whether the incident at the pub and on the bridge are linked, but the force said Potts was on the bridge at the time of the collision.

It added the soldier was not in the car or hit by it, but entered the water "within minutes" of it happening.

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