THE family of missing Wiltshire man Kondwani Mwale have been informed after a body was found by search and rescue teams close to Warleigh Weir at Claverton near Bath this morning.

The 24-year-old has been missing since Monday, October 26 and was last seen at Amber House in Trowbridge.

In a short statement, Wiltshire Police said: “We can confirm that a body has been found in the search for missing person Kondwani Mwale.

“For nearly two weeks our officers have been joined by divers from Avon and Somerset Police, along with volunteers from Wiltshire Search and Rescue (WILSAR), to carry out extensive searches for Kondwani around the River Avon and Warleigh Weir area of Wiltshire, close to the Somerset border.

“The body was discovered by the weir earlier today.

“Although formal identification has not yet taken place, Kondwani's family has been informed of this development.

It is not yet known who alerted police to the body, which was located on the Bath side of the Warleigh Weir.

This morning, officers from Avon & Somerset Police, were guarding the crossing over the Bradford on Avon to Bath railway line to Warleigh Weir island and the area was cordoned off.

One of the officers at the scene said they were not treating the discovery of the body as suspicious.

Later, officers were seen using a rigid inflatable boat to recover the body from the River Avon.

Mr Mwale, from Trowbridge, had been reported missing near the River Avon and Kennet & Avon Canal in west Wiltshire.

He was last seen wearing a black jacket, dark top, grey jeans and carrying a black backpack.

Family and friends reported him missing after growing increasingly concerned for his welfare due to a suicide note left on social media at around 6pm on October 26.

In an earlier phone call with a friend, flowing water was heard. It sparked an overnight search of the waterways between Bradford on Avon and Batheaston near Bath.

Police closed a road to the Kennet & Avon Canal at Limpley Stoke and the National Police Air Service helicopter twice visited the area overnight on October 26-27.

Officers were supported by specialist water search volunteers from WILSAR as they tried to locate him.